Down the Rabbit Hole
by PhoenixFirestar
Summary: No caterpillars will harmed in the making of this story. Big crossover mix of original story, D&D, White Wolf, and 2014 Bay Turtles. A little romance, a little death... more death than romance. Lots and LOTS of cussing throughout, you've been warned. My first published fanfic, feel free to R&R.
1. Chapter 1

This is the second publishing of Down the Rabbit Hole. I had published most of it a few years ago and decided there was a big plot hole where there wasn't one. After letting it all stew a bit, I came back and looked it over with fresh eyes. I like the story, even if it's a little fast paced. This was my attempt at a short story, but it drew out longer than I planned just because of the action. I'm publishing this as a whole, and it will be complete. Enjoy the read :)

**Chapter One**

The turtles had been cleaning up the remnants of the Foot Clan out on the docks in Lower Bay. For some reason, the Foot was still active despite Shredder and Sacks sitting in jail awaiting their day in court. Karai is the only one missing, but no one has seen her since the fight down the mountain. She may have died up there, who knows.

Tonight they had left a package of Foot Clan members all tied up in an open container for the police. This particular robbery was well out of Foot Clan territory, showing just how desperate they were getting in their death throes.

Donatello plots a course back home on his holographic interface that shines from his wrist, "Fifteen minutes and we'll be home!"

Michelangelo grins and gives his older brother a push down into the large maintenance tunnel, "Order pizza on the way then! I'm starved! Hey! Did you see how I took out those three dudes with one punch? Was I awesome or what?"

Leonardo smirks faintly at Mikey's boasting, hopping down into the tunnel after his two brothers, "Or what. Come on Mikey that was child's play! The Foot is getting pathetic and soon the cops can handle them easily! We'll be able to retire before we're twenty."

Donnie makes a few swipes on his screen, "Pizza is ordered and will be delivered in forty minutes."

Mikey glares back at Leo and he gives his oldest brother a light punch to the stomach, "But we were still totally awesome! Those guys were all over us and we just kicked their butts!"

Raphael lags behind; his eyes had caught something strange glowing faintly green in the ocean, something massive like a submarine and he hoped to see it again. Nothing surfaces, but a line of twenty-foot waves suddenly crash along the docks and shore, spraying Raph with sea water. Leo's voice drifts back through the tunnel, "Hey! Are you coming Raph? We got dinner on the way and I'm famished!"

Raph clenches his sai at his sides, biting his toothpick in half and spitting it out, "Yeah, I'm comin'." He turns and jumps down into the tunnel, sliding his sai home in their holsters. Something about the night bothers him deeply, they've never seen activity this far, and they had been out almost all night.

His shell itches like someone's sneaking up on him, and in the darkness he swears he can see that eerie glow from the ocean just around the last corner. He blinks, and then it's gone. With a shake of his head, he moves on after his brothers, still glancing back now and then and catching that green glow following them. He begins to walk backward once it goes out again, his heart starting to pound in his chest.

The tunnels here are dry and old, unused for decades and full of trash; molding boards, crumbling concrete, piles of rotten boxes, and even a few rusty bike and car parts. The turtles walk on easily, stepping around the bigger piles of debris. Raphael walks slowly with his hands by his weapons, that faint glow quickly growing brighter, and with a sudden flash, he feels the world give out from under him. He grabs for his sai, but before he can draw them the thick plywood crumbles under his weight, dropping him into blackness, "Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!"

A startled yell is the only warning the turtles have, the three brothers turning just in time to see Raphael disappear down a black hole. His yells echo back up the tunnel, growing fainter until they barely hear him hit the bottom. Donnie licks his lips as he calculates the time, listening to the stream of curses coming up from the hole, "That's almost a mile down guys." He pushes his glasses back up onto his nose, "We would need some kind of wire cabling to climb down that far, and I don't think it comes in five thousand foot lengths without some kind of commercial permit."

Leo groans softly and he leans down over the tunnel, trying to see if maybe Raph caught himself somewhere, but all he can see is darkness, "Raph! Are you alright?"

Raph glares at the dark yawning maw that had spit him out, the tunnel still echoing with his curses. It had angled almost twenty feet down so he slid nearly the whole way down on his shell, leaving it gouged, scratched, and sore; and leaving him somewhat dazed, "Yeah, Leo, I'm fuckin' peachy! I can't get back up!"

Mikey looks down into the blackness, "Dude! Do you see any babes? Do they really live deep in the earth?"

Raphael rolls his eyes, "No Mikey! No babes! Just rocks!"

Leo pushes Mikey out of the way, "We're going to get Master Splinter!"

Raph takes a few steps into the tunnel, about as far as he can go before it arches up into a steep slide, "Careful! There was something following us! Couldn't see what it was, but don't lead it back to the new lair!"

Silence follows his words, and he worries that they already took off, but Leo's voice drifts down with a hint of concern, "We'll be careful! Hang tight!"

Raph grumbles as he decks the wall of the tunnel out of frustration, causing a few chunks to crumble down the walls and making his knuckles bleed. He jumps back out of the shaft to avoid the rain of stones, and growls, "Sure, I'll hang tight…"

He looks around the cavern as his anger turns to curiosity. The cavern itself is about twenty feet in diameter with a fifteen-foot ceiling. He's surprised by the faint blues and purples that glow from the rough stone walls and runs his hands over it, leaving a hint of the glow on his fingers. "Donnie would love this." He scrapes some into his belt pouch, hoping they hurry back and get him out of here.

Behind him is the gaping hole in the wall and as his eyes adjust to the dimness he sees the brighter glow of maybe moonlight down a deeper tunnel. Taking in the rest of the cavern, he realizes there really is only one way to go, so impatiently he walks into another gaping hole of darkness, this one with a light at the end of the tunnel.

The floor slopes ever downward, making him mindful of his footing, "No need to take another long trip down a deep hole." He keeps his rough hands on the walls, this tunnel almost too low for him to stand up straight, and only wide enough that he could put his elbows out and feel the walls on either side. The tightness of the tunnel finally gives way to a giant of a cavern with water falling from the darkness above into a pool that dominates the cave. He stops in his tracks and soaks it all in.

The walls are covered with the faint glowing stuff, but also with large ribs of radiant red and yellow fungus, making it bright as a full moon. Hidden among the fungus are shining crystals of every color imaginable, which seem to multiply near the lake's edge. The ceiling is distant but he can see spots of light up in the darkness, reminding him of stars. The lake mirrors the ceiling, delving into deep, unfathomable depths with points of light fading into the dark waters. Even the mist from the waterfall catches the gentle light and reflects it into a softened rainbow. The cool air smells strongly of minerals and stone, and already it condenses on his skin, leaving him feeling refreshed.

Raph smirks, this place of serenity could do with a fewer colors but he's not going to argue with whatever made this. Slowly, he walks along the wall, the lake leaving a wide beach of white sand on his side, and lapping up the steep walls on the other side. He notices a few ledges hanging from the sheer stone, but nothing he can reach without proper tools. A tunnel shows that, after an investigation, it ends at a solid rock wall in only a dozen feet or so.

Seeing his surroundings as safe, Raph lets out a whoop of sudden joy and strips down completely, leaping into the cool, black waters. Another surprise comes as he swims and dives into the peaceful waters, his bleeding knuckles no longer hurt, and when he looks at them, he finds that they're healed. Even his shell and sore muscles are feeling much better. Raphael grins with unrepressed happiness, he'd found a spring of healing after falling down that damn hole.

With no one here to see him, he relaxes and swims deeply in the feeling of wholeness that the waters give him, slowly filtering out the roar of the waterfall and letting peace come to his mind. He's been angry for so long, he almost forgot what peace feels like. This is going to be a place he'll visit more often if he gets the chance; it's more than worth the trip.

After what feels like hours, a strong, sweet female voice echoes through the cavern, the tone curious, "What could such a young leviathan see in our most sacred Pool of Visions to keep him in its waters for so long?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Raphael sinks to his chin in the water, feeling suddenly vulnerable. He had checked the place out, how could anyone get in here without him knowing? His bright green eyes scan the sandy beach first, making sure his weapons are still available, and then he begins to look up along the walls, focusing on the dark, shady areas for an assassin.

To his surprise, his threat comes from a ledge, roughly fifteen feet above the lake opposite of the shore. A young woman lounges there, resting on her hip with her long aqua and white banded kimono hanging off the edge, and her loose sleeves covering the hands resting on the colored crystals that poke out at every angle on the edge. He had missed her easily, her water hued kimono blending in with the bright colors perfectly. Even her white skin shines with the lights all around her, camouflaging her from his keen sight. What gives her away are her blood red lips, pouty even from this distance, and her midnight blue-black hair that cascades over her shoulders. Her bangs part just over her brows, showing some interesting decorations, maybe a two-pronged crown, or four as there are two more glittering white points sticking up over her ears.

Raphael suddenly feels heat rising to his cheeks as her deep ocean blue eyes watch him curiously, making him wonder just how long she's been up there, "Uh… not see… More like feel."

Her laughter is musical and warm, "As true an answer as any. The feeling is just as important as seeing." Her eyes seem to brighten at his answer, and at the blush crossing his cheeks, "What is your name, young leviathan?"

Raph feels his stomach twist into knots, staying deep in the water, "I'm Raphael. Who are you?"

The girl smiles at his bluntness, "I am known as Yuki Onno." She speaks her name with importance, but he shows no sign of recognition. That makes her laugh once more, "You are obviously not from here. Where do you hail from, Raphael?"

His name on her lips makes his heart stop for a moment, but only a moment, "Well, I'm from New York City." He keeps his eyes on her as he begins to drift back towards his clothes, suddenly wishing he hadn't taken _everything_ off. "Do you know about New York?"

Yuki shakes her head slightly, "Is that on the surface? None of my Clan has been there for nearly three thousand years."

Raphael glances back at his clothes, hoping he can grab them and … go where? The only privacy would be the tunnel he came from and that's a good jog from where his clothes lie. He looks back at her as his feet find the rocky ledge that leads up to the beach, "Yeah, it's on the surface. Why hasn't anyone gone up there? I mean, this is a nice place and all, but I'm already missing the sunshine on my skin, and pizza!" His stomach rumbles deeply, reminding him that there was pizza back at home if the others didn't eat it already. Knowing his brothers, they probably ate while telling Splinter about what happened.

Yuki smiles very softly, and suddenly Raph feels his heart melting at that sweet gaze, "They would not accept me up there. I am very different from the humans I assume still live on the surface. How do you survive among them? Did you retreat here to escape?"

Raph looks confused at her confession; to him, she looks like a perfect traditional Japanese woman, perhaps a bit heavy on the makeup, but he's sure that she could easily walk through the city without a problem, "I think you'd fit in very well. You look like a very beautiful woman from where I stand. I'm kind'v'a warrior, fightin' for the good and all that." He rubs the back of his neck lightly and runs his hand forward over his head, feeling his many scars.

He misses his bandana as he feels vulnerable under her gaze, especially when it grows cold and icy like it just did as if he just insulted her. She maintains a cool composure though, "A warrior? But you are so young! Are you sure you're not boasting?" A hint of triumph rises in her voice.

Before Raphael can retort angrily, he sees a large man-beast step behind Yuki. He stands close to eight feet tall, with a lean, powerful frame. His head looks like a cross between a horse and a crocodile, the mouth filled with pointed fangs and the head scaled with horns and spikes protruding over his silver eyes, along his jaw, over his crest, and down along the pale blue snout. All he can think of is a dragon in man form with no wings. His hand grabs onto a loose rock, ready to throw it if the thing steps closer, but then it speaks in a deep rumbling voice, "Empress, is all well?" His voice drips with violence as steam pours from his flared nostrils, his eyes locked on Raphael.

After a moment, Raph realizes that the man-dragon wears a long, dark blue loincloth that falls to his ankles and shows off his long, thick tail, and a vest of a similar blue with a large gold torque around his thick neck. His elongated feet and legs are wrapped in silver fabric, and his wrists bear gold cuffs with sapphires studding them. What skin he can see is diamond patterned blue-green and white scales, with broad, flat scales along his chest and throat.

Yuki, no… Empress Yuki laughs brightly, taking her eyes off the turtle and smiling up at the beast, "Yes Sarrok, all is quite well. I am enjoying the company of this young leviathan."

Raphael doesn't miss his chance to leap out of the water and quickly pull on his red boxers, his mind trying to process that this girl is an Empress, and that monster is so familiar with her, never mind that he's a monster too. His hands fumble on the buckles of the leather gladiator war kilt, but he finally manages to get it on. He wishes fervently that he could climb right back up that hole to the world he knows.

Now that he's covered he turns to grab the rest of his clothes and nearly jumps out of his shell when he sees that she's right beside him, looking curiously over his gear. Only his training keeps him from truly jumping out of his skin, though he levels a hard glare at her. She had been on the ledge speaking with that Sarrok guy only a moment ago. His glare fades slowly as he takes in just how small she is, the top of her head barely comes up to his sternum and she's as slender as a willow under her kimono.

She curiously picks up one of his sai, her white, delicate hands caressing over the steel. Raphael suddenly frowns and he gently takes it away, it feels wrong for her to touch something tainted with death, and he's killed quite a bit. As his hand brushes over hers, he's surprised to feel not the soft, velvety skin of a human, but the cool ridges of tiny scales.

His eyes travel up from her delicate hands, each finger ending in short black claws, to her throat, covered in the flat scales of a snake but with a silvery sheen to them. Her face is mostly human, with a small slightly upturned nose and those big red pouty lips that seem made to kiss, but her skin sparkles like newly fallen snow with the tiny white scales, and what he thought was a crown is actually a pair of backswept horns as slender as she is, and the tips of her long ears showing through her thick, waist length hair.

He slides both sai into his waistband, his eyes looking her over slowly, just as she seems to be looking him over. His breath catches in his throat when her hands reach up to trace the scars over his plastron, every crack and score from his many battles. Her hands move up to his shoulders, then along his jaw, feeling each little scar and making him flush hotly. Her lips part slightly to reveal her small fangs, "You are truly a fascinating being."

Raph reaches up to grab her hands, holding them in his own and feeling filthy under her pristine and innocent eyes, "So are you. I've never seen anyone like you. Yuki…"

Her eyes light up when he says her name, and for a moment he almost forgets that he wants to push her away, not wanting to taint her with the blood he's shed. He swallows to try again, but voices come echoing into the cavern from the only other tunnel here, his three brothers and their father emerging from the darkness.

Leo walks forward with his swords drawn, "I can't say for sure why he left Sensei-" He stops as he stares at Raph and Yuki, the others stopping beside him in surprise.

Sarrok growls deeply and steps to the very edge of the ledge, ready to leap across if necessary.

Raphael curses under his breath, glancing from his brothers to the Empress. She yanks her hands from his grasp, betrayal darkening her eyes. It stabs him to the soul, "Wait."

Yuki ignores his plea and her blue and white kimono opens up into a pair of long, slender wings, revealing the true gown underneath, white with diamonds sparkling off the collar and belt, with a slit up the back for her long white tail. He sees her elongated toes end in deadly black claws, then suddenly Raphael brings his arm up to shelter his eyes from the dust and sand as she takes off. She lands on the ledge with a cold look, a snarl faint on her lips, "I did not know there were others with you." Her voice is as cold as her eyes.

Raphael looks up at Yuki, his eyes filled with hurt, but it's brief as he gets himself under control. Then he looks at his brothers, not sure how to receive them at this point, "I… Empress Yuki, these are my brothers and my sensei." He looks back up at her just in time to see her flinch at the title. Sarrok glares down from beside her, but he remains silent for now, a malicious presence shadowing the beauty.

Splinter steps forward and bows formally, "Forgive our intrusion, please. We came to find a son and brother that we thought would be hurt and trapped here. We were unaware that he was so well taken care of." Splinter glances up at her, "I am Splinter, master and father to the four you see here." Leo slides his katana into their sheaths, then shows his open hands before dropping them to his sides.

The snarl that Yuki wears fades as Splinter speaks, and she bows her head just slightly, "I have never seen a ratkin so aged, nor so well spoken. You are a fresh breeze in these stagnant halls, Master Splinter."

Splinter hides his surprise, wondering what a ratkin could possibly be, "I am pleased with such praise. You have already met my son, Raphael. Allow me to introduce his brothers, Leonardo…" Leo bows deeply, "Donatello…" Donnie gives a halfhearted wave before bowing at Leo's nudging, "And Michelangelo…"

Mikey stares at Yuki almost the whole time, snapping out of it when he hears his name, "Whatsup?" He tries to give her a charming smile, and he seems to draw a small smile from her red lips.

Raph rolls his eyes, "Bow, you knucklehead."

Mikey glares at him, but he bows politely, whispering harshly at Raph, "You lied to me! You said there were no babes down here!"

The four turtles glance up at Yuki when her musical laughter is heard, echoing through the cavern despite the waterfall, "You are all very refreshing." Her eyes linger on Raph, dark with deep thoughts, "Please, I welcome you to my empire and ask that you stay a few days. Lord Sarrok will ensure you are given safe passage."

Sarrok growls deeply, his wingless back flexing dangerously under his vest, "Empress… the council awaits your decision. I cannot keep them at bay any longer."

Yuki's eyes hold on Raphael, still deep and unreadable, and then she nods slowly, "I have seen what I am supposed to see. I will speak to them now." She turns on the ledge and walks into a hidden tunnel, Sarrok following after.

Leo lets out a low whistle once the two have left the ledge, leaving them all alone in the cavern, "Damn Raph…"

Raph smirks, "Yeah, I know. Talk about a fucked up day." He kneels before Splinter, "Master, Yuki… I mean, the Empress called this the Pool of Visions. It's also a pool of healing and deep introspection."

Splinter half smiles at Raphael, "So is this why you were undressed, my son."

Raph looks down, heat rising to his cheeks, "I found my peace, even though it was brief." He looks back up at his master, and Splinter nods, seeing a change in his son.

Splinter kneels reverently by the pool and he slowly trails his fingers in the clear water, amazed at the sight of all the crystals. He closes his eyes briefly as he feels the aches of his joints fade away, even with just this small taste of the water. When he opens his eyes again, he's drawn into the rippling colors;

_The Empress stands in all of her white, naked glory, her aqua marked wings and silver belly scales glowing with soft light. Her wings are turned upwards, holding her people while her legs are tangled in darkness, the black tendrils pulling her down. Mixed in the darkness is a crumbling kingdom, the castle a shell of its former glory. Above her are four turtles, though Raphael is the one holding her outstretched hands tightly. He pulls her towards the light, where the sun and sky are bright. He feels her struggle, the pain of being torn in two, then it melts into blackness, leaving a sense of inevitability._

The brothers keep a quiet watch as Splinter falls into a deep meditation by the pool, his fingers barely touching the waters. Leo sits on the white sand and eyes Raph as he gets dressed, fumbling with his harness buckles, "So, you going to tell us about her?"

Raph growls, "No. Nothin' to tell." He finally gets his buckle done and tightens the holsters on his belt before transferring his sai to them, feeling much more secure. He sits in the sand to pull on his greaves, Mikey staring at him with a smirk, "Hey, you got somethin' to say, knucklehead?"

Mikey grins, "She was hot. If you're not interested, can I have her?"

Raph glares hard at Mikey, "Thought you wanted April."

Mikey grins, "Well, she's hot too, but seriously dude! A hot chick with wings, and an Empress at that! Man, I'd love to get my hands on her."

Leo reaches over and smacks Mikey upside the head before Raph can even stretch out for it. Mikey glares at his oldest brother, "HEY!"

Leo frowns, "I wouldn't let you talk about any girl like that, let alone an Empress that we might be guesting with for a few days."

Raph smirks, glad he's not the only one sick of his brother's antics with women, "Besides, if Yuki's interested in anyone, it would be me. If that Sarrok guy is any kind of judge for looks, these girls like their men big, tall, and muscular."

Donnie watches the ledge curiously, "I can't figure out how they even exist at all. That Lord Sarrok fellow seems reminiscent of perhaps the upright walking dinosaurs, but that would be impossible! More so is that a female of the same species would have wings, while the males do not. How does that even make sense? And these fungi and minerals are amazing to have a phosphorescent ability altogether. I wonder if maybe they were cultivated, or created by the people here."

Leo shakes his head, and he looks at Raph, "I can't even think about how bad this is right now."

Raph shrugs, pulling a toothpick out of the multitool on his chest and sliding it between his teeth to chew on, "Ever wonder how the hell an entire race is just living under our feet?"

Mikey's eyes grow wide, "You mean, like déjà vu? We're living under the humans and they have no idea who we are, and now we've stumbled on like, the lost city of Atlantis or something down here? Dude…. That's deep."

Donnie shakes his head and sits with them on the sand, "This isn't the lost city of Atlantis, Mikey. That's supposed to be in the Mediterranean Sea and it fell to a great earthquake. There's really nothing under New York, maybe some ancient stones and stuff, but this place is pretty stable."

Raphael stands and brushes the sand off, "Well, it looks like we'll have to wait to get outta here. Ain't no way out 'sides the way we came and the way they went." He stretches his muscles, still feeling that peace inside him from the pool, "Man, I feel like I slept for a week down here."

The rumbling sound of stone scraping on stone cuts through the air and the turtles stand together, hands near their weapons. Raphael steps forward and lifts his chin in defiance as he sees Sarrok step through the tunnel that he brushed off as impassable.

Sarrok glares at the four, "I will guide you to the palace. Be quick."

He turns to leave, but Leo speaks up, "Our master is in deep meditation, we will not leave him."

Sarrok snarls silently, and steps towards Splinter, "Then wake him. I do not have all day."

The four turtles step silently between Sarrok and Splinter, and Leo steps forward slightly, "Not until our master is ready." His voice is calm and cool, but there's a hint of defiance and loyalty.

Sarrok bares his long fangs, but he stays still, folding his arms over his broad chest, "This is foolish."

Splinter wakes slowly from his meditation, feeling refreshed and clear-minded, "Forgive me." He gets up and steps past Leo, looking up at the towering creature, "I have seen much in this Pool of Visions, and I ask for peace between us."

Sarrok growls darkly, "Only those of noble blood are able to see into the Pool of Visions."

Splinter smiles patiently, "One has only to quiet the mind to see what the Pool offers." He turns to his sons, "There is danger here, something dark and sinister is happening and it is slowly tearing this young Empress apart. We can help her and her people, but it would be dangerous for us."

Raphael clenches his fists slightly, taking in Sarrok's look of surprise and then solemn agreement. He thinks back on how Yuki looked at him, how wrong it felt for her to just touch his sai, or him, "Well I ain't leavin' a party like that."

Leo glares at his brother, but he looks back at Splinter thoughtfully, "What is your advice, master? She is a stranger; we know nothing of her or her people." Raph growls behind Leo, but he continues, "I am willing to help, but I will not walk in blindly when my brothers' lives may be at stake."

Sarrok stares in absolute wonder at these surface dwellers, but it quickly disappears as Splinter turns back to Sarrok, "Will you give us a better idea of what is happening?"

Sarrok nods once and he sinks down to sit on the sand, the others following suit. All their eyes train on him and he clears his throat, "I will give you a brief version, as I need to get you all to the Palace and settled in, I will be able to tell you more there. As it stands, Yuki is the last known living noble of our race and has just reached marriageable age. She commands an army of dragonkin, like myself, and rules over several races that are native to this dark underworld. The problem that we have is though she may bear an heir from another race, we will not follow them, and we suspect that anyone who marries her will have her assassinated so there will only be the Emperor, leaving her own people leaderless. She has sent many messengers to the surface to find the ancient leviathans, wishing to create an alliance, but none have returned. She is a good Empress, fair and kind despite the viciousness of this world. She had come to the Pool to find an answer, but instead, she found a leviathan swimming in the sacred waters." His voice ends on a growl while he glares hard at Raphael.

Raph glares right back at him, "It's a Pool of Healing too, and after falling from the surface, I think I needed it."

Donnie pushes his glasses back onto his nose, "Wait, what's a leviathan?"

Sorrak groans quietly and rubs between his eyes, "You know not what a leviathan is? Though you look like their young?"

Donnie nods, though his eyes are filled with confusion, "So… they're turtles?"

Sarrok levels a look at Donnie, as a teacher would at his most dense pupil, "Leviathans are dragons of the deep, their young look like turtles for survival sake since many races wish to destroy one of the most powerful races in the world. The eldest leviathans are known as floating islands, with life living unmolested on their giant shells. Younger ones live deep in the oceans, surfacing only to breathe. They usually have a strange green or blue glow about them, from algae that grow on their shells, the foundation of new life."

Raphael frowns deeply, "Could they come up onto land?"

Sarrok nods faintly, curious about the young warrior's question, "They can change into a man shape if they chose. Walk among humans without concern, as all the great dragons can."

Splinter and the three brothers eye Raphael curiously, but Raph ignores the looks and stands up slowly, "I'm stayin'." He folds his arms across his chest and eyes the others.

Splinter looks at his sons as they take in this new information, and Leo rolls his eyes, but he stands along with his brothers, "You will not go alone, Raph."

Donnie licks his lips nervously and gives a faint half smile, "I'd like to go… but I don't have any kind of connection down here to help with the mission."

Mikey grins, "So you'll have to use that brain of yours, genius. I'm all in for the hot chick!"

Donnie glances back at the dark tunnel they came from and turns to follow his family and Sarrok deeper into the earth.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Splinter walks beside Sarrok as they weave through a maze of tunnels, ever moving slightly upward. Sarrok eyes the rodent beside him, small enough to barely come up to his hip, but his large, dark eyes hold deep wisdom. The brothers walk silently after Sarrok and Splinter, giving them space in case they wish to speak, but no one says a word for now.

They all emerge high on a sheer wall, Sarrok stands on a wide ledge with a low wall that spills water and moss down to the floor, and he raises his hand with pride, "Welcome to the Palace of the Moon, home of the Jeweled Throne. This is the seat of power for the Empress."

The turtles gasp in astonishment as they take in the sight before them. They stare into a cavern large enough to swallow Manhattan, carved from what looks like sandstone, but it glows a soft silver color. A sprawling city takes up nearly half of the cavern, also carved of the same stone, and on the far end is what looks like farms. In the center of the cavern is a large lake, the surface shimmering with rainbow-colored fish, large enough for them to see clearly from this distance. That is not what draws their attention though; taking up nearly a full quarter of the cavern nearest to them is a palace of the shimmering sandstone. It follows the early medieval style of Japan, the gracefully curved gable roofs carved of light blue granite, accenting each of the six stories. Among all that architecture, there is not a shadow to be seen.

Leo lets out a low whistle, "This is amazing."

Mikey grins, "That would totally be awesome for skateboarding!"

Raph smacks his youngest brother upside the head, "It's a castle, shell for brains, not a skate park. Try to have some respect."

Donnie stares in awe at the whole place, "This is like the Himeji Castle in Japan, but bigger! How does it glow like that? Is there some way you've harnessed geothermal energy to create a substance that mimics natural light?"

Sarrok smirks at the young brothers' response, but he looks down at Splinter, the only one that has been silent, "Well, Splinter?"

Splinter glances up at him and points a long, gnarled finger towards the far end of the palace, "There is an assassin on the far rooftop, the one with the white dragons on the peak."

Sarrok narrows his eyes as he looks to where Splinter points and he lets out a low snarl. It is far and the assassin wears a similar blue to the color of the roof, only the slightly darker shadow on their back betrays them. "Grimlow, an assassin walks the roof of the council wing. Can you hit it?"

A part of the silver, moss-covered wall steps forward, revealing itself as a shape similar to Sarrok, but about two feet taller in green and grey tooled leather armor. Grimlow steps to the edge of the ledge and places his clawed foot on the low wall, his green eyes narrowing as he searches the rooftops. He hefts a wicked looking spear, nearly twelve feet long with a two-foot jagged blade, "A drider." Grimlow observes dispassionately, "The Empress should change the stone of the roof now and then so we may have more target practice, Lord Sarrok." He bounces the spear lightly in his clawed hand and gives it a hard throw.

The spear sails silently in an arch, and as the figure moves, unaware of the danger, the spear slides right through its thickest part. Now they all see clearly the stream of black blood tarnishing the pale blue roof, and how the blood smears from the thrashing of the thing. Six long, spindly legs attached to a large, bulbous body become blackened as it tries to free itself from the spear. Its metallic screams pierce the air and continue echoing long after the thing ceases its struggling.

Leo can only stare as blood continues to flow down the roof, the thing twitching once, "Holy shit…"

Donnie gulps behind them, "Guys… I think we're in over our heads here."

Sarrok half smiles at Grimlow's accuracy and strength, a proud member of the Empress' guard, "Perhaps that will keep the vermin off for a day or two. I will relay your suggestion to the Empress as we do need to curb these assassinations among the councilors. Perhaps her powers will be enough to at least darken the blue."

Grimlow nods once and salutes Sarrok before he steps back into his alcove, hidden once more from sight.

Sarrok guides the party down the steep stairs which seem to weave in and out of the cliff wall and curtains of hanging moss. He eyes Splinter curiously as the elder rat leans on Leo's arm, "Master, how did you see the assassin when none of us noticed?"

Splinter smiles slightly as he holds Leo's arm, his other hand gripping his walking stick, "That is simple, Lord Sarrok. We are assassins as well."

Sarrok's silver gaze travels over the turtles slowly, taking in their stance, their movements, how they always seem aware of their surroundings, and how they watch each other's backs, "I truly hope you're here to assist the Empress then."

Leo feigns helping his master, knowing full well that Splinter could easily traverse the steep stairs, and even down the slippery walls if he chose. He lets his master take the lead though, his voice matter of fact, "We do have Honor, Lord Sarrok. You have our word that we will help her if we can, and leave if we cannot."

Sarrok sighs deeply, steam emitting from his nostrils as the tension slowly leaves him. Mikey's eyes widen at that and he grins, "That is totally awesome! Can you like, breathe fire and stuff?"

Raph groans and pushes his brother towards the edge, but Mikey keeps his balance, even on the edge of the stairs, "Enough Mikey! Geez!"

Mikey laughs, "Come on! You know you're curious too!"

Sarrok eyes the turtles now, finally catching just how young they must be, "No, I do not breathe fire, those are dragonkin of the fire clan. We are of the river clan. Leviathans are of the deep clans, the rarely seen ancient dragons of the beginning."

Before any more questions can be asked, he waves them to silence and leads them onto the palace grounds. The stone here is covered in small, flat crystals that glow an emerald green, with pathways of gold and sapphire meandering to the palace itself. Malachite and chrysocolla crystals grow like trees or bushes while towering jade and chrysoprase give the impression of fine needled spruce trees. Everywhere are crystalline flowers of every color from ruby peonies to amethyst clematis. Pools of water with the odd rainbow-colored fish are scattered throughout the gardens, creating a serene atmosphere. Even in this crystalline garden no shadows exist, and anyone who has seen the surface can understand what the creator had tried to mimic, making the beauty familiar and alien at the same time.

Sarrok guides them through the many pathways until they reach a side door, simple and wooden among the splendor. Inside is what seems to be the laundry, with several small, grey-skinned dragonkin running around with a rainbow of dyed fabrics. They squeeze past the frenzy of washing and hanging, and Sarrok leads them deeper into the palace, showing them to a quiet wing with only a few thick steel double doors down several hundred feet of towering hallway.

He stops at the first door, farthest from the main palace, "This is the guest wing. You will stay here while you are with us." He opens the heavy double doors with a bit of flourish, and once again the turtles are struck with awe.

The room is large, forty-foot ceilings and nearly sixty feet from the door to the far wall, the width close to twice that. The main room is dominated by a deep circular pool with a waterfall trickling down a large stalactite. Low walls surround the pool in a decorative circle, broken with paths and benches, topped with more of the crystalline flowers from the gardens. On one side is a circle of backless couches, most likely benches to dragonkin the size of Sarrok and bigger. On the other side is what seems like an informal dining area with a large round table and wooden benches set around it. The most amazing sight is the variety of glowing crystals embedded in the carved walls and ceiling, each one accenting the deep sea murals that are subtly etched into the sandstone. On either side of the long suite are three doors, giving the impression of offering six bedrooms.

Sarrok closes the doors behind the group and locks two large bolts home into the floor and ceiling, finally letting out a breath he had been holding, "I will prepare you today to meet with the council, I wish you to make your entrance tomorrow evening, before the end of the debate. The councilors have only given Yuki two days to see if her vision comes to pass, so we have little time to waste."

He guides them to the circle of seats and they all sit down expectantly, Leo helping Splinter settle before asking the question on everyone's lips, "What vision is that?"

Sarrok tucks a foot under his thigh and relaxes visibly, "Well, one goes to the Pool of Visions for a vision. The only vision offered was this young leviathan swimming around like he owned the place. So, she's informed the council that she had a vision of a leviathan youngling coming to marry her and become emperor."

Raphael nearly swallows his toothpick at that, and he stares at Sarrok without quite understanding, "Wait! What?"

Leo rolls his eyes and gives Raph a shove, "Hello! Raph, I don't think you'd actually marry her. You're a turtle, she's a dragon, I think it would just be a ruse. … right?"

He turns his ice blue eyes on Sarrok, who shrugs slightly, "If you are leviathans, then it would take you a few centuries to come into your own maturity. That would buy her time to find a more willing partner at least. Though, if you are not Leviathan, then I am not sure what you are."

Raphael goes from shock to anger in moments, glaring at Sarrok, "I'm willing to help!"

Splinter raises his hand, cutting off whatever else Raph wants to say, "As far as I know, we were normal animals until the humans changed us. You see, Lord Sarrok, the humans discovered a compound from another planet and they altered it before injecting myself and my sons with it. We changed from a simple rat and four small box turtles to what you see here. From what I understand, after the research was destroyed and we were hidden away, the man behind the science tried to recreate the mutagen that he injected us with, but since it was from another world, he failed."

Sarrok eyes the turtles slowly, "May I use a spell on you? I feel I need to know without a doubt."

Splinter nods once, "Of course, so long as it will not hurt us. I am very interested in knowing if there is more than what we thought."

The turtles slowly nod as well and Sarrok stands before them. He first turns his hands on Splinter, his eyes becoming mere slits as he focuses on the rodent. A deep dual tone emanates from his throat, making the very air vibrate with the sound. Clawed hands glow faintly blue as he holds them on either side of Splinter's head as if he'd grab the rodent. His eyes suddenly widen when Splinter begins to glow a silvery white, "That is not possible…"

Splinter looks vaguely confused, but Sarrok turns to the turtles before he can say anything. His hands are held out over the turtles, and silver eyes widen even further as all four glow the same silvery white. Sarrok banishes the spell and sits back down heavily, his hands shaking slightly, "You are not possible…"

Splinter tilts his head to the side curiously, "What did you see in us?"

Sarrok rubs his horned brows slowly, "I will need to explain our history to you so you may understand the importance of what I saw." He looks over the turtles slowly, feeling like the world just dropped in his lap, "Dragons have been in this world for millions of years, some stepping from those original scaled beasts while others came from the stars. That is where we have earthbound dragons and celestials. My clan came from the ocean originally, from the leviathans, but we moved to the rivers and survived the cold times in the warm volcanic waters. Sometimes, a celestial dragon will come down and take an earthbound dragon for a mate. That is where our noble line came from, and why Yuki looks different from the rest of us. She also has different powers from us, though we won't know what until she comes into them."

Donatello furrows his brows as he stares at Sarrok, "You're saying the world is full of dragons, even though humans have found no proof of them?"

Sarrok smirks now, his fangs showing, "Humans find and believe only what they want to. Our clans stayed in the deep rivers, even near the volcanoes of the past. Our dead are taken to the ocean over time, and I've yet to hear that humans even cross that vast place. The fire clans stay in or near the volcanoes, their dead returned to the fire. The earth clans turn to stone upon death, so I doubt a human would even notice one even if it were standing right beside one. The air clans, I'm not sure. They seem to merely disappear on the winds. I cannot say what happens."

Donnie sits back slightly, taking this in, "Humans cross the oceans frequently now, and even fly in airplanes. They've become fairly technologically advanced compared to three thousand years ago. They build skyscrapers that can get lost in the clouds, and everyone has access to information from all over the world, all at their fingertips."

Sarrok blinks at that bit of information, "And you still manage to hide from them?"

Mikey nods enthusiastically, "Dude! We're totally shadows in the night. Humans are too lost in their own world to notice a few more shadows. There's video games, television, computers, and the cities are lit up like day all the time!"

Sarrok frowns deeply, "Sounds like its more dangerous now than it was when we came here…"

Splinter clears his throat, silencing the turtles, "What did you see in us, Sarrok?"

Sarrok takes a slow breath and waves his hand towards Splinter, "It is true that you were a normal rat until you were changed, but now you have within you the blood of a celestial dragon. That is most likely what has changed you and given you a much longer lifespan than you would have had before. You may even hold powers, though we know nothing of how the blood would affect mammals." He turns his hand towards the turtles, "Your sons… They are leviathans." He rubs the back of his thick neck, "Now, with the celestial blood to change them, they would be considered nobles as well. Leviathan Nobles are unheard of, as the celestials never take the original clans as mates, only the weaker clans."

Five pairs of eyes stare at Sarrok in disbelief, the silence stretching on until Mikey speaks up, "You mean to say we're totally dragons? Like we might even have powers too?"

Raphael is tempted to smack him upside the head again and tell him that Sarrok was wrong, but the look in Sarrok's eyes when he nods keeps him still, "We… we're dragons… not turtles?"

Sarrok smirks a little, "You are very much dragons, such dragons that we know not what you will become. Leviathans hold power over water and life. Celestials… that depends on the race, some holding power over the very light and shadows. They never let us know what they can do, so we never know what will appear in the bloodlines."

A knock on the door startles the turtles, so engrossed in their own thoughts and what Sarrok had said. Sarrok stands and he opens the door to several young dragonkin, grey or silver of skin and slender as reeds, "I believe that food and rest are in order. We can continue this after you've refreshed yourselves."

Raphael's stomach rumbles, reminding him that it's been a very long time since he last ate, and he has a lot to think over as well. He's the first to get up and see what the young ones brought. The table is laid out with a variety of dishes, mostly of fish, tubers, and mushrooms. Loaves of thick black bread with a rich buttery scent are laid between dishes, and a lemony dill spread is left in shallow bowls. Raphael sits on a bench and loads up his plate with several unfamiliar things, too hungry to really care right now. His brothers follow suit more slowly, along with Splinter and Sarrok.

Mikey eyes the food with a sigh, "Man, this is going to be a long visit without pizza…"

Raph glares at Mikey, "Longer for me unless you _didn't_ eat the pizza that Donnie ordered." The guilty looks from his family tell him all he needs to know, "Yeah, thought so."

Sarrok smirks, helping himself to the fish, "Tell me of this pizza thing." He nods to the tallest of the young dragonkin, a slender female slightly shorter than Leo, and she closes and locks the door. He relaxes once more, "Trust only the dragonkin here. We are loyal to the Empress completely. Something the other races don't know."

Mikey sighs deeply as he piles mushrooms and the spread on a slab of bread, "Pizza… the crust is buttery and thick, topped with a robust tomato sauce." He closes his eyes and smiles, "On top of that is cheese, and any other toppings you want, but I love pepperoni. Then you bake it until the bread is done and the cheese is all melted. It's the best food in the world." He takes a bite of his bread and frowns with disappointment, but he eats it all.

The others eat quietly, their thoughts deep as they take in all that they've been told. Raphael's bright green eyes are especially dark as he finishes his breakfast, barely tasted.

Splinter relaxes a bit more with the good food, things he's never tasted and that are a satisfying change from pizza, "What more can you tell us of the Empress, Sarrok?"

Sarrok shrugs, "Much more, but mostly she is young, strong, and has kept the peace by a bare thread. Refresh yourselves, please. I need to speak with the Empress and make an appearance at court to announce your arrival. Stay in here, there are some races that can pick your thoughts from your mind. The gems help prevent that, as the water prevents us from being overheard. Any questions you have, feel free to ask the younglings here. I will return to help you prepare." He gets up and bows to them all before leaving quietly.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Yuki had spent too long with the councilors, listening to their protests and veiled threats over her vision and what it means. They think her blind to the intrigues, especially the Drow. They're the most vocal about her finding a husband from their stock, an obvious trap coming from a race ruled by females. Any male she weds would kill her and offer the throne to his mistress, creating a new Empress, a cold-blooded killer… Probably Alyssa with how Drek grovels at her when he thinks no one can see. She had called the council early amid arguments that had already been settled. They had given her two days to produce this mysterious leviathan and then she'd have to choose a mate…

With a deep sigh, Yuki sinks down to her chin in the hot bath, her wings spread wide in the pool as she relaxes. She cherishes these moments of being alone with her thoughts, they are too rare these days. And all day, her thoughts have been on Raphael. She knew her own messengers to the surface had been cut down before they saw sunlight, perhaps the nagah's messengers finally came through.

She closes her eyes and sinks further into the water, letting it rise up to her horns. The gills along her ribs open up and allow her to breathe the warm waters. Her thoughts drift even further, thinking of how she had felt over Raphael's thick scales. Every scar tells a sweet tale of a true warrior. She had felt his heart quicken at her touch, and saw an emotional battle rage in his eyes. Even his hands trembled as he held hers, and she wonders what could have caused such a reaction. Then she thinks of his brothers, coming in at that precise moment and ruining it all. She snarls faintly again, but it fades quickly. It wasn't their fault, and perhaps he needs them at his side for what will come.

Her thoughts are interrupted as an older female steps into the room, her head more like a tiger's than a horse, but still scaled with deep greys and blues. She's only a foot taller than Yuki, but her warm brown eyes set among longer, slender horns along her brows show the wisdom of age. Yuki lifts her head from the water and the woman bows slightly, "Empress, Lord Sarrok is here to see you. He has news."

Yuki smiles and she climbs out of the water, letting the woman dry her off and drape a robe over her, "Thank you Cheriss, with the hope it will be good news."

Cheriss gives a faint smile, tying the robe closed and adjusting it for her wings, "Any news that goes against the council is good news at this point."

Yuki chuckles and shakes out her thick hair, letting it drip as she walks through her bedroom and into her private suite, a smaller room by necessity, as she meets privately here. The walls are thick with diamonds, quartz, calcite, and milky agates, adding pale color to the mountain scenes carved on her walls. Yuki meant snow in her ancestor's tongue, and her father made these rooms to remind her of the beauty of snow and mountains. Instead of a throne, she has soft benches to rest on arranged in a close circle. Sarrok sits on one, waiting patiently even as his eyes hold a faint worry.

Yuki slides onto a bench in front of him, "You look troubled, uncle."

Sarrok chuckles at her familiarity, something he misses in court, "I am. Our new guests are settled in, though I fear I've left them unsettled. There is something you need to know before we step into this plan."

Yuki sits attentively, always trusting her uncle's wisdom, "Of course. I'm sure there are many things I need to know."

Sarrok nods and he leans back, "Well, to begin… our little surprise guests are all assassins, I know not how, but their master spotted that assassin on the council wing today. They move similar to nagah assassins."

Yuki frowns, looking down at her hands and wondering, "So, when he admitted to being a warrior, he was being modest… not boasting."

Sarrok lets out a deep sigh, "Most likely. He's brash, bold, and blunt. I think we should keep him as a warrior, give the assassins pause I think."

Yuki smiles, "He will cut a fine warrior with his scars. Make sure to show those off."

Sarrok grins, "I will." His smile fades quickly though and the troubled look returns, "There is something else… They are leviathans, but they're also nobles… The humans did something to them with the blood of a Celestial and it changed them, even the rat."

Yuki's eyes widen at that, and she pulls her wings close in for comfort, "You're sure?" At Sarrok's nod, she shivers and looks away, "I never dreamed we'd have such powerful beings here…" She's far too controlled to fidget, but she clasps her hands in her lap, "Should I reveal their status to the council tomorrow? I feel such a powerful status would help protect them."

Sarrok frowns deeply as he leans forward, resting his elbows on his thighs, "I think it may be wise. The better the prospect for power, the less likely they'll be targeted. Even the Illithid are wary of powerful minds. Raphael is very close to marriageable age as well, he looks older than he is, but that is to our advantage. We could move before they get assassins in place."

Yuki blushes very deeply, suddenly the prospect of marriage is all too real. Her hands clench tightly together, "That would be beneficial. I'd rather maintain peace here, at least until we find a way out for all our people…"

Sarrok reaches over and places his large hand on hers, "We'll find a way." He looks into her troubled eyes, trying to show confidence he doesn't feel.

She nods once and gives him a faint smile, "Alright, uncle. Tomorrow, I hope to see our guests in all their glory. I'd like to keep the knowledge that they are assassins hidden. Raphael is obviously a warrior, but perhaps the others can be seen as something else?"

Sarrok thinks about that a moment, then he nods, "I can pull something off. I cannot tell you more than that, as you need to give me an honest reaction."

Yuki smiles a bit more, "I understand." Her smile fades as her eyes darken, her hands turning to clench his, "I'm scared."

Sarrok tugs her up into his arms and hugs her gently, "It will be alright. I've come to trust these strangers. They will help you. If I can read anyone at all, Raphael is willing to stand beside you for as long as it takes."

Yuki blushes deeply again, and she shivers in his arms, "That's one of the things I'm afraid of."

Sarrok strokes her hair lightly, "Be brave my little snowstorm." He holds her as she begins to cry, aware of just how fragile his charge is, cradling her until she cries herself to sleep, then he helps Cheriss settle her in her vast bed.

Cheriss sighs deeply as she slides an arm around Sarrok's waist, "I fear for her. She's too young to be dealing with this on her own."

Sarrok softly kisses Cheriss' head lightly, "I know love, but she's not alone. You and I have raised her the best that we can, and now there are others here who can help her better than we can. Stay brave for her; she'll need you before this is done."

Cheriss nods slowly, "I hope the celestials know what they're doing."

Sarrok smirks faintly, "They never do. That's why we struggle to clean up their mess. I must go speak with our guests; it will be a long night, my love."

A small army of young grey skinned dragonkin sweep into the room after Sarrok leaves, cleaning up breakfast and tidying up anything out of place. When they finish, only fifteen remain, standing in small groups of three. Five steps forward and bow to the family, the tallest one takes another step forward, her skin light grey with patterns of blue diamonds. The sleeveless steel grey robe is cinched at her waist by a sash, and it matches her steely eyes, though her severe look is softened by three rows of delicate blue-green fins running from her forehead down to her neck. Her voice is rough, like one used to shouting more than speaking. She looks at each of them in the eyes, "My siblings and I will be pleased to assist you in your preparations. We will serve you while you're here, and answer any questions you may have." She moves to stand before Raphael, "I am Kriss, I have great knowledge of weapons and war painting, as well as massage. I will be honored to serve the young warrior." Her eyes nearly glow as she looks into his green eyes, "Come and tell us your accomplishments so I may paint them on your shell tomorrow, showing all that you are a great fighter."

Raph eyes Kriss as if she was a snake and he wasn't yet sure if she was poisonous. Yuki comes to mind, as well as his promise to help, and he slowly lets her lead him and two other younglings to one of the bedrooms.

Mikey watches Raph get pulled away and he grumbles, "Why does Raph always get the girls?"

Leo follows another slender beauty, her skin shimmering light blue with darker blue patterns under a silver robe, backswept horns hold back five rows of delicately torn silver white fins, looking similar to hair, with a purple star sapphire set between her violet eyes, "Not just Raph, but you have a girlfriend, Mikey. Remember? You called dibs on April."

Mikey grumbles as he follows a young male in a swirling green loincloth that falls to his knees, his chest bare, "Yeah, well she's all over that old dude, Vern."

The young male chuckles softly, his skin almost glittering with green and gold, standing out from the cool beauty of the other dragonkin. His bright green eyes shine with amusement, stubs of horns lining his snout and jaw, "I am Leeam, and I can make you almost irresistible to the young females here. I take great pride in my skills."

Mikey seems to perk up at that, "Dude! You and me are going to be best buds!" He even dances a little as he disappears into the bedroom.

Donnie is also ushered away to a room, licking his lips nervously, "Ah… How do you make the crystals here glow so brightly?"

His guide giggles softly, pinning him with a pair of deep ruby eyes, matching the hint of red violet on her scales, "That is by the noble's magic. So long as a noble lives in this palace, the cavern will glow brightly. Have you not come into your powers yet?" Her black robes are different from the others, with a wide collar around her neck where two swathes of fabric curve down over her shoulders like billowing sleeves. The robe seems sleeveless as it cuts straight across her chest, revealing that instead of the wide flat belly scales that the others have, she has two rows of alternating black scales. Her robes are longer than the others too, causing them to slide over the floor. She's as different from the others as her robe is. Where they are slender she is voluptuous, her curves are deep and she has two thick horns that curve back over her skull, a single row of blood red to black fins that stop at the nape of her neck. She also has fins along her tail, ending in what looks like a black flame.

Donnie blushes deeply, pushing his glasses up onto his nose, "I … well… no. We don't have powers… do we?" He glances back at Splinter for an answer, but he's already disappearing behind closed doors. He feels his heart sink, they were all separated, surrounded, and in a strange place. He hopes Raph knows what he's getting them into.

Then there was little thought for Raph as he takes in the carved bedroom walls showing delicate detail of coral reefs and deep-sea creatures all lit up with gems of every color, much like the main room. As he stares in wonder, the two other hatchlings begin to take his gear off, surprising him, "Hey! Careful! Those are delicate instruments!"

His guide raises her hand and the others stop, "You are a musician?"

Donnie carefully takes his gear off on his own, setting his computer in the corner nervously, "No… I'm … well, I'm a nerd. I do all the technical stuff…" He looks back at her curiously, "I study a lot of stuff, and I hack into systems. I read things on the internet and I feel really nervous being disconnected." He steps around the bed that's sunken into the ground, large enough to fit all his brothers, but round and soft looking.

His guide smiles slyly, "A scholar then. A scholar warrior? How can you hack without a blade?"

Donnie coughs, "Well… hacking is-" He stops, unable to find any way to explain it to her, so he shakes his head and turns it around, "What's your name?"

The girl chuckles softly, "I am Ondessa, a priestess in training. Please, let's get you cleaned up and clothed properly." She waves to the bathing room, and Donnie turns a very odd shade of red.

He follows her into the bathing room, the undersea carvings flowing into this room as well with a deep, steaming pool of water sunk into the floor. Before he can say anything, what's left of his clothes is stripped away and he retreats to the steaming pool in self-defense, "H-hey! Th-that's just rude!"

Ondessa chuckles and waves the others away, then sits on the edge of the pool with her feet in the water, "Well, you seem quite reluctant to clean up. Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I am here to assist you as needed, and to answer your questions."

Donnie takes the washing cloth and soap and begins to scrub the sewers off him, not even realizing how dirty he is until he watches the dark filthy water drift away from him in a slow current. He takes to scrubbing himself more deeply, "Alright, questions… What other races are here? I've only seen a drider, which I'm guessing is a kind of spider thing."

Ondessa nods, smirking, "The Drider are one of many. They are closely allied with the Drow who are black skinned elves that cannot abide daylight, and barely tolerate the glowing kingdom. There are the Duergar, dark-skinned relatives of dwarves, but don't mention their light cousins… they hate them deeply. Then there's the Illithids, much like squid faces but they have powerful mind magic. They can pick your surface thoughts from you, or if they touch you, they can pull all your thoughts from you. They tend to torture lesser creatures and turn them into mindless slaves… Yuki's forbid any of the slaves to be allowed in the palace, and if she could, she'd ban the practice outright. The nagah are usually surface dwellers, but there seems to be a few that survive here, they're assassins and seem to enjoy matching wits with the drow. Lastly, are the elementals. No one knows where they came from, or why they're here, but they come, and they offer the occasional bit of information or advice. They look like a big pile of boulders and crystals with glowing eyes. Sometimes they're speckled with emeralds and have green eyes, or are covered in rubies and have red eyes."

Donnie settles down on a bench hidden under the water, and before he can ask another question, Ondessa slides into the water behind him and begins to scrub over his shell. Donnie tries really hard not to jump away, but he looks back at her, "What are you doing?"

Ondessa chuckles, "I'm cleaning your shell for you. Obviously, you can't reach back here, and you've noticed that you're quite dirty. What else do you want to know?"

Donnie rubs the back of his neck lightly and shrugs, everything blurry without his glasses, "Well, what can you tell me of the councilors here?" If he keeps her talking, he can keep thinking and not stress over his lack of internet.

Michelangelo gladly follows Leeam into the bathing room, and even strips down without too much fuss, "So what do the girls here like?" He slides into the hot water with a hiss, then slowly relaxes. The two other hatchlings slip into the water with him and begin to wash him roughly.

Leeam laughs and he sits by the edge of the pool with a thick bar of soap and a washcloth in hand, "They like men to be bold, but not pushy. Be playful and kind, but strong. Usually, it is the females who pick the mate they want, depending on their preference. Do you not have a mate?"

Mikey lets the water ease his muscles, allowing the younger hatchlings to scrubs his shell clean. He grabs the offered soap and cloth to scrub the grime off the rest of him, "Well, no. I'm a teenager, and the girl I like is like eight years older than I am…"

Leeam smirks, "Eight years hardly seems like a difference. Empress Yuki is only just turned two hundred, and I am two hundred and seventeen. She and I are close in age, though she's a noble and matures faster than I do."

Mikey's eyes widen at their age, and he shakes his head, "But… she's a human, she'll only live to be about eighty, if she's lucky. So it makes a big difference. Besides, I'm only sixteen."

Leeam suddenly falls silent, looking Mikey over slowly and carefully. When he finally speaks his voice is full of awe, "You're only sixteen? You are well grown for your age. I would have put you at least at one hundred. Your father must truly be proud of you."

Mikey shrugs, suddenly not sure what to say and realizing that all the girls here would be much much older than him, "He is, but not for my age or maturity. He still scolds me for messing around too much, but he's trained us all to be really strong fighters. We even defeated a really strong human named Shredder. He was wearing this really tough armor and had blades all along his arms that he could throw and call back. It was crazy, but we won."

Leeam leans over to eye Mikey's shell, seeing hints of the battles scored there, "I am baffled that one so young is so grown and mature, yet you also battle humans. Truly you are gifted, all of you."

Mikey nods, "You think the girls here would like that though?"

Leo had made it very clear that he bathed alone, and so got to enjoy a quiet moment in the steaming pool. He had stripped down alone; left his swords near at hand, and had already scrubbed as much as he could before letting the hot water and slow current sluice off the rest. Then the door opened and his slender guide stepped in boldly, "I will be remiss in my duties if I do not assist you. You may call me Saphyre." She folds herself down on the edge of the pool and offers an empty hand, "I will scrub your shell for you."

Leo narrows his icy eyes, "My shell is clean enough, and you have done your duty. I prefer to bathe alone."

Saphyre arches a browridge then stands up and sheds her robe completely before stepping into the pool. Leo yelps and turns his eyes away, "What are you doing!?"

Saphyre takes the opportunity to sit behind him and begins to scrub his shell deeply, "I am using my own weapons on you so I may do my duty. Not to be rude, but you smell rather badly, and I wish to ensure the Empress does not receive backlash for your laziness."

Leo glares at her over his shoulder, then turns back around when he sees she's not even fully in the water, "Damnit!"

She smirks as she scrubs his shell clean, "What does this symbol mean?"

Leo frowns, "Don't scrub it off. It means 'Family."

Saphyre nods as she works on his shell, "I can work with this, as we are supposed to be learning about you so we can best present you to the council. I'll polish this to a shine, gild you in gold, and trace this out with sapphire dust, as no one else will know its meaning."

Leo's frown deepens at that, "Sounds pretty, but not my style."

For the second time that day, Raphael found himself stripped down and neck deep in water. This time it wasn't even by his will. These hatchlings stripped him down before he even had a chance to say no, and so he jumped into the water out of self-defense, "You're like clothes ninjas! Damn! I can wash myself, thank you; I don't need any help there!"

Kriss dismissed the others, and now she sits on the edge of the pool, looking over his weapons curiously without touching them, "What are these? I've never seen blades like these before. "

Raphael takes the chance of her distraction to scrub himself, feeling a world better now that he's clean, "Those are sai. They're sword breakers, used for stabbing, but also for defense. You can hold them in different ways, points outward for offense, or the main blade along your forearm for defense. You can catch the sword between the points and with a twist, and a lot of strength, you can snap the blade off. If you're strong enough, you can also stab and throw your opponent."

Kriss eyes the new weapons with appreciation now, and when she looks back at him, he sees the smirk on her thin lips. She looks similar to Yuki, though her nose and mouth is more muzzle like, almost like a kitten's. The smirk fades and a serious frown makes her look more cat-like, "Tell me true… are you here to save the Empress?"

Those words hold the plea of a little girl hoping for a miracle. Raph nods as he keeps scrubbing, trying not to get caught in her steel grey eyes that suddenly look silver with emotion, "Yeah, I'm going to save her, and keep her safe so she can safeguard your people."

Kriss nods slowly, and she slides into the water, ignoring her wet gown as she takes a washcloth and begins to scrub his shell deeply, "You have many battle scars. Tell me of them, so I may paint your shell."

Raph stiffens as he hears her in the water, ready for a knife in his side, but the scrubbing of his shell takes him completely off guard, "Umm… ok…" He coughs a little, knowing he can't scrub it himself, "Well, many of my scars are from my brothers… we practice together and sometimes things go wrong. Leo and I fight especially hard against each other. Our first time fighting others was a gang that was hurting and killing a lot of people. Our master raised us on stories about the Foot Clan and how evil they were. He also taught us ninjitsu from books that he found, hoping we'd save the people one day. We did, we killed their leader and brought the gang to their knees so the humans can finish what we started. It nearly killed us all, but we found faith in each other. I carry my brothers; I fight the hardest and take the hits so they don't have to."

Kriss lets his words wash over her, taking the meaning behind them as well, "You are very kind. Tonight I will think on your words and tomorrow we will dress you as a great warrior. I will shine your shell and paint it with your heroics. When you're finished there is a cloth you may wear. Put it on and we shall oil your skin before you sleep." With that, she leaves quietly.

Raph watches her go and he sinks deep into the waters again, rinsing the soap off and relaxing finally, "Damn these people are curious." He glances to his sai, just to make sure they're still available, then he lets the hot water soak into him. It wasn't often that he had the chance to relax in good sanitary water, to be scrubbed spotless and know he'd stay that way for at least a day. Face it, the sewers were filthy and they'd always had a hard time keeping clean. Of course, Donnie had tapped into the city water supply, but who knows how good that was either.

When he finally finishes his relaxing commune with the water, he climbs out and wipes off the excess water. It won't take much for him to dry off. He eyes the odd cloth and sash, something the men around here wore, at least as far as he's seen. With a shrug, he ties the sash around his waist and under his shell, then works the deep red cloth so that it covers him properly and hangs down to his ankles. The fabric is soft, and the color fits him, though they probably matched his bandana. He tucks his sai into the sash, and picks up the rest of his clothes, figuring he'll be wearing them tomorrow.

He walks out of the bathing room and into a porn. At least, that's his first thought as he sees the other two hatchlings lounging on his bed with warmed oils beside them, and Kriss standing off to the side with a distinctively disturbing glint in her eyes. Raphael almost turns around and goes back to the bath, but Kriss catches him and steers him to the bed, "Lie down, your skin must be oiled so it will shine with health tomorrow." She pulls his old clothes away and tosses them into the corner.

Raphael has no choice but to submit to being oiled, thankfully its more massage than anything else and after the hot bath, his muscles are ready for the massage offered. Kriss feels over his shell expertly, "We have a healer who may be able to fix the gouges in your shell if you wish."

Raph shakes his head, "Don't worry about it. I'm kinda proud of my shell, it's thick and hard and nothing can break it."

Kriss traces the crack that was caused by his fight with the robo samurai and Raph shivers slightly, "Hey, knock it off."

She chuckles and smears his shell deeply with oils and minerals to make it stronger and help it heal, "You are brave. I had heard that some leviathans carry the weight of the world on their shells. I believe it now."

Raph frowns, going back over the idea that he's not just a mutated turtle, but a true dragon, or Leviathan. He lets Kriss care for him, her hands doing the deeper work. She finds old scar tissue and breaks it up expertly, then lets another girl flush out the toxins released while she finds the next scar. By the time she's finished, Raph couldn't move for anything. In fact, he passes out before the girls even leave.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Morning hits Raphael hard. Michelangelo leaps on him and shakes him violently, "RAPH! Can you believe it? They actually were all like in the bath with me! I had girls rubbing oil on me! They laughed at all my jokes too! I love this place!"

Raph growls and throws Mikey off him, almost into the wall, "Knock it off! Damn! Can't I get any sleep?!"

Master Splinter's voice cuts through the darkness, "It is morning, my son, and time to discuss our strategy."

Raphael grumbles and rolls onto his back, finally opening his eyes and seeing the room has lightened to the clear bright aqua of a Caribbean postcard, "Right… I'm up Sensei." He slowly climbs out of the big soft bed and grabs his sai that ended up in the blankets. It's a wonder he or Mikey didn't get skewered.

Mikey races out of the room, his shell clean and even shining a bit. Raph follows more slowly, stretching his arms and back, still feeling relaxed. His brothers sit at the table for breakfast, Leo in a deep blue loincloth, Donnie in a dark purple which is almost black, and Mikey in a gold loincloth. Master Splinter wears a black loincloth and vest trimmed with silver, and his fur shines with the care that was given him. Even his eyes are brighter and his step lighter. Raph slumps into a bench and wolfs down whatever breakfast they had, looking something like caviar on black bread. He didn't want to think too much on it.

Raphael eyes his brothers as they eat, Leo sitting stoically with his legs crossed on the bench and his katana across his lap. Donnie sits a little nervously and tends to avoid even looking at the younglings serving them, his right hand rubbing along his left arm. Raph shakes his head slightly, finally noticing that Donnie doesn't have any of his computer gear on, then he frowns, he didn't realize how thin his brother's shell was. Mikey turns his grin on almost any girl that seems to walk by, not even noticing what he's eating for breakfast.

As soon as the dishes are cleared and they're all alone, Splinter speaks up, "First of all, I am very glad for the hot, clean water here and I would like to make it a point to do this again when there is less danger." The others nod, even Raph feels like a whole new turtle. Splinter continues, "That being said, this is a dangerous situation we find ourselves in."

Donnie speaks up, still rubbing his arm absently, "Well, from what I learned yesterday this empire was made by running over several kingdoms and giving them a choice to join or die. Yuki's father was apparently a real tyrant after some of the local races tried to enslave his people." He pushes his glasses up on his nose, "There are three races, in particular, to watch out for. The Drow are the worst, as assassination is their way of life. One family can wipe out another one completely, and it's only illegal if the assassinating family gets caught. They're the ones pushing the hardest for Yuki to marry one of their people. The Driders are a separate race, but work and live closely with the Drow, and seem to make up a majority of their assassins. Illithids are… Ondessa said they look like squid faces. They are fairly detached, but have some mind-reading ability, and are able to enslave people by tearing their minds apart."

Donnie shivers, and it's echoed in Leo and Splinter.

After a moment of quiet, Donnie pipes up again, "There are three other races, the Duergar which are like dwarves but hate being called dwarves, the elementals which are pretty much a mystery all around, and the nagah which seem to be human but… not. They are assassin's as well, but it seems that they have a very limited scope of targets. It's looking like assassination is the way the Drow get what they want, and they ended up assassinating Yuki's parents. She apparently only survived by pure luck. Ondessa didn't tell me how though."

Mikey looks down slightly, suddenly feeling like his day was wasted, "I only learned that Yuki just turned two hundred… and apparently, we're a match for her maturity, if not her age in years. A lot of the people that have been serving us are between one hundred, and one hundred fifty."

Splinter stares at Mikey for a long time, "I am thankful that you all have grown up so well and quickly. I don't think I could have handled your toddler years for so long." He gives a bit of a smirk.

Leo chuckles and nods, "I don't think any of us would have survived each other." Slowly he sobers though, "I have learned that our servants were supposed to be learning as much as they could from us so they can present us to the council. I'm not sure what that means, but Saphyre threatened to polish my shell with gold and paint my kanji with sapphire dust."

Raphael smirks at that, "I can see you doin' that."

Leo glares at Raph, but Splinter speaks up quietly, "I am proud of you all, for taking advantage of our helpers and learning more about our situation."

He's interrupted as there is a loud knock at their door, then Sarrok opens it himself and strolls in, looking very tired, "Forgive my lateness. The Empress had need of early council."

Splinter nods and waves to a chair, "Forgiven, and join us. We were just starting to discuss the problem at hand."

Sarrok takes a seat gladly, "The problem at hand is becoming more strained. The council is growing nervous with Yuki's vision and the death of the assassin yesterday. I would like to bring you all to court as soon as possible." He turns his silver eyes on Raph, "You especially. I need you either courting her or betrothed to her by the end of the day. She needs the assurance so she can get the council past this stupid idea that they'll marry her off to someone of their choosing."

Raphael looks decidedly nervous, but Donnie presents the question that is on his mind, "What if Empress Yuki can't find another leviathan to marry? Will she and Raph have to marry? And if so, what will we do?"

Sarrok strokes his chin slowly, "We will cross that bridge when and if we come to it. For now, let's get this betrothal done so Yuki can breathe."

Raph gets up, "Let's get goin' then. All this spoilin' is makin' me lazy."

Sarrok stands as well, and the small army of younglings flood into the suite carrying all sorts of items, clothes, and even liquids. He nods with approval, "No time like the present." Then he follows Splinter into his room to discuss.

Kriss and her four ushers Raphael back to his room and lie him down on his stomach on a bench, "We'll make you shine like a warrior god."

Raphael blushes faintly but takes the chance to rest a little while Kriss works her magic on his polished shell. Kriss grins as she works, "I think the Empress will be quite taken with you, now that you're all cleaned up. She may forego the courting and ask to be betrothed right away."

Raphael shrugs slightly, "Whatever she needs to do."

That earns him a light smack on the back of his head, "Really? Nothing in this at all except helping someone?"

Raphael glares over his shoulder at her, "Well, of course, I'm helping her! She asked for it… sorta."

Kriss shakes her head, "Oh, so you have no interest in her at all aside from just helping her."

Raphael's blush creeps along his neck and he can't think of anything to say to that, so Kriss takes his silence as acceptance, "So you do like her? More than just a damsel in distress?"

Raph growls softly and keeps from looking at Kriss now, "Yeah, she's a really beautiful woman. I want to help her, but…"

Kriss pauses in her painting, looking over his shoulder to see a hint of his face, "But?"

Raph grumbles, "She's… I dunno… Pure. Innocent. Gentle. All the things I'm not. I'm bloodstained, and I feel like she shouldn't even be touching me."

Kriss blinks at that, completely taken off guard by his response. She recovers though and lightly touches his shoulder, "I can promise you that you are the least bloodstained of her suitors. You are also not going to kill her. I truly do not think she'd be upset if you two ended up having to be married."

Raphael swallows hard, and he clenches the bench tightly, "Are you almost done?"

Kriss chuckles and she puts a few more flourishes on his shell, then steps back to eye her handiwork, "I suppose it'll do. I'll give the final touches after you're dressed." She puts her paints aside and moves so he can get up. The other hatchlings have several clothes for him, each ready to dress him up in his persona.

When Raphael emerges from his room he looks more intimidating than usual. His oiled skin gleams in the soft light with his scars accented by gold dust to make them stand out proudly. He wears a long vest of blood red material that falls to his hips, creating a bloody backdrop for his painted shell. Under his vest is the black leather armor of a warrior, a tooled breastplate that is creatively tied on under his shell so no straps cross his thickest armor. Black leather bracers and greaves finish the rough look, with his dark blood red loose pants tucked into the top of the greaves. Before he can see himself in the mirror Kriss adds a thick steel twisted torque with sharp-beaked terrapin heads on either end, their eyes glaring with a bloody light. Raphael finally eyes himself in the mirror and even moves through a few jumps and attacks to see how he moves in it all. It's as perfectly fitted as his own skin and he knows he can take on anyone in this and not be hindered.

Kriss makes him sit still for the last touches of his shell while waiting for the others to finish. He's surprised at how odd but fitting it all looks when he finally gets to see it. Painted in gold is a star at the top of his scarred shell, and she left the kanji alone except to darken it with crushed garnets. Crossed sai and four arms of brotherhood intertwine with the symbol, and below it lay several broken swords. Along the edge of his shell are painted smaller symbols, some that he suggested for his battle prowess; Anger, Powerful, Beast, Protector. Steel and bronze dust covers the symbols to make them shine without being precious metals or boasting of riches. This is a boast of skills.

Raphael grins at his entire ensemble, "I like this. I can fight easily in this if I have to."

A door opens and Leo steps out, looking less than pleased. His skin is also oiled, and his shell polished to that mirror shine, but that is where the likenesses end. Leo's shell is dusted with gold to hide his scars, and truly his kanji is covered in deep blue sapphire dust. That is not all the gold and blue he wears though. A thick gold torque weighs heavily on his neck with dragon heads on the ends, each with diamond eyes and a faceted sapphire held in ivory teeth. His dark blue and gold trimmed vest hangs over a silky gold shirt with long loose sleeves, hiding his powerful muscles. He also wears loose black pants that are cuffed at his ankles, with black and gold sandals on his feet.

Leo seethes with frustration, but Saphyre steps out from behind him, "Does he not make a handsomely rich Lord?"

Raphael smirks with amusement, "Well, now that fits Leo to a T. He loves being in charge and looking down at others."

Leonardo glares at Raphael, "I do not! It's just that someone has to be responsible and take care of you three!"

Raph chuckles, "Sure Leo."

Saphyre glares at Leo, "You'll need to hide your hands you know."

This seems to have been the continuation of a long discussion, and Leo sighs as he folds his hands into his voluminous sleeves, "There."

Saphyre nods, "Keep them like that. No one is worth your touch, you are equal to the Empress, or even well above her. This also gives others a sense that you have your intentions hidden. If you can remember not to touch anyone or anything, let everyone else open doors and such, then you'll pull this off fine."

Leo sighs, and at her wave, he bends down slightly, "I really don't like this."

Saphyre sets a gold burnished leather band on Leo, with a gold monocle, the bands covering the last of his scars on his head, "I know. It won't be for too long. I'm sure you'll want to stay in your room often and barely attend the meetings since this isn't even your land. Just be here to support your crazy warrior brother in his wild hunt for a mate. And remove that support if you so deem it. Remember, this is a court of deadly dances. Removing your support may be necessary to keep your skins."

Splinter and Sarrok step out of his room, Splinter looking dignified in his black and silver vest and loincloth. His mustache and beard have been dipped in silver, and streaks of silver are brushed through his hair before being tied up in a simple ponytail that he usually wears. Under his vest, he wears similar armor to Raphael's, but it seems more dignified when he wears it like it's only there for his office. In his hand is a staff of black wood, threaded with silver and topped with an orb of quartz.

The two brothers eye Splinter and Leo bows his head slightly, "Sensei."

Splinter smiles as he looks upon his sons, "You both look very noble. I am very proud of you both for taking such risks."

Leo grimaces as he looks down at his outfit, "I feel ridiculous, sensei."

Splinter reaches up and lifts his son's chin, "Hold your chin up high, look upon the others as you would upon the scum of the streets and know that you are about to take them down at their own vicious and deadly game. Be proud of who you are, for indeed you are a leader, and it is not a far step to Lord. You can do this, Leonardo."

Leo's frown fades and he meets Raphael's eyes… Is that a hint of approval there? He stands up taller and puts on that air of confidence that Splinter has instilled in him.

Donnie steps out of his room amid this quiet reflection, looking confused at his own outfit. His frames have been replaced with blackened steel, and he actually wears a simple circular black hat that rests low on his head. Instead of a vest, he wears full robes of deep purple and silver geometric patterns. His sleeves are long but cut close to his arms, and instead of a sash, he wears a thick leather belt lined with silver daggers in small sheethes and a thick tome hanging by his thigh. He has no scars to hide, but his thin shell is darkened with black ink and the plates traced with silver, "Sensei… what am I?"

Ondessa appears behind him, and she smiles with great pride.

Splinter grins with appreciation, "You, my son, look like a great scholar with pens at the ready for anything you may need to record."

Donnie pulls out one of the daggers, and indeed, it is a silver quill, "Well, that explains the thick book… but what use am I?"

Ondessa touches his arm lightly, making him jump slightly, "Do not be afraid, as you are one of the few that may go in armed, even if it is with quills. As was once said, the quill is mightier than the sword. In the right hands, it can slay, just as a book may repel an attack."

Donnie suddenly looks at his new tools with appreciation, "Oh! So these aren't technically weapons, as anyone would recognize."

Ondessa nods, feeling a bit smug with herself for thinking of this, "You are a wise man, Donatello, your intellect is as sharp as a sword, and I know you will not break your disguise without great need."

Donnie nods slowly, suddenly feeling very solemn at the very idea that he might have to use his newfound tools, "You're right. I won't disappoint you."

Mikey bursts from his room in robes similar to Donnie's, but with deep, wide sleeves and colored a dark burnished gold. He wears a gold chained belt that falls to his knees with aquamarines studded over it to match his eyes. He also wears a gold chain around his neck with a gold circle embedded with the same aquamarines, "Check this out! I am totally rockin' this! I bet I'm some kind of Casanova!" He turns to show off his shell, coated in bronze dust to hide the small scars.

Leeam chuckles as he walks up behind Michelangelo, "I know not what a Casanova is, but you are dressed as a child. You will be allowed mistakes for your youth."

Mikey stops and he glares at Leeam, "You said you would dress me so all the girls would like me!"

Leeam nods, spreading his arms as he shrugs, "I have kept my word, as most women here find children to be adorable."

Mikey sulks suddenly and turns his baby blue eyes on his brothers, but Sarrok cuts him short before he can even say a word, "You are a child because you are the youngest of the brothers and unable to keep your mouth shut. This allows you some freedom, as others will not expect the same level of understanding from you as they would from your brothers."

Mikey whines, "Dude, that's so harsh!"

Raph can't help it, "And that is why you're the kid, little brother."

Splinter speaks up, cutting the soon to be argument short, "Enough! Both of you!" He strikes the butt of his staff on the floor and it gives off a metallic hum, "We are entering into a great battle, one of wits and subterfuge. This is a council of assassins, so be aware of yourselves and your brothers. Be constantly mindful of your stance, and try to relax. Do not act unless a life is in danger, except for Raphael. He is the warrior, but none of us are assassins."

The brothers all look down slightly, humbled. Leo bows before his sensei, "Forgive us. We had forgotten the severity of the situation." He stands up tall and looks at his brothers with an air of superiority, "I'm ready for this."

Raphael half smirks and he claps Leo on the shoulder, "Hey, you just gotta stand around and look pretty."

Mikey grins, "Yeah, but you get to kick some ass if it comes to it! And you get the girl!"

Donnie smiles faintly, "I suppose I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

Raphael glares at Mikey, "You need to get your head off girls and back into the game."

Splinter sighs and looks up at Sarrok, "I suppose we're ready for this."

Sarrok nods, "Keep your thoughts neutral while we're in the halls. They aren't protected against thought sensing. I'd recommend Leo goes first, as he's the lord, and I can see Raphael being last, to guard your brothers' backs."

Raph nods and folds his arms over his chest, looking intimidating. Sarrok nods with approval and he leads them all down the halls.

Raph can feel his heart beginning to skip as they draw near to the throne room; he's finally going to meet Yuki the Empress. A creature seems to float by; sickly purple skin covers a tall, slim man-like creature with large black eyes and curling, slimy tentacles on its face. It wears a black latex looking dress or robe, with long sleeves tight against its arms. All thoughts of Yuki are gone as he glares at the creature, the Illithid if he remembered right. He keeps his thoughts quiet; he is not going to blow this.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

They reach the heavily jeweled gold and stone door without incident. Sarrok glances back at them to see if they're ready, and as one, they nod before he swings the doors wide open, revealing the council chambers. The room glows in subdued rainbows as the walls are thick with gems. A grand table of polished black marble takes up most of the room, shaped like a horseshoe with Yuki at the apex and the ends opening to the door. Two representatives of each race sit at the table. On Yuki's left sit the Duergar, then the Drow, and closest to the door are the Driders. On her right sit the Elementals, the Nagah, and finally the Illithid. All eyes turn to them as soon as the door opens.

Sarrok's voice booms in the chamber, "Forgive my absence, Empress! I wished to ensure our new guests were welcomed and prepared as fitting their rank. May I introduce Envoy Splinter from the surface land of New York, and his leviathan noble charges; Lord Leonardo, the warrior Raphael, the scholar Donatello, and their youngest brother Michelangelo. They come seeking an audience."

The tension grows in the room, making it feel very close for a large space. To their surprise, the Nagah are actually humans, and they both look confused at the group, but then the female gains a secretive smile.

Yuki smiles softly and she stands before her throne, showing that her guests are similar in rank to herself, "Welcome to my Empire. I am honored to have you here." She bows her head slightly, and briefly. "Allow me to introduce you to my councilors." She brings a slender hand up to indicate the first Illithid, almost identical to the one in the hallway, "Biq'elp and Zal'ysho come from the deepest parts of my empire." She moves to take in the Nagah; a young woman of about thirty with pale skin, dirty blond hair, and shrewd grey eyes, and the young man who is maybe twenty with dark tan skin and black hair cut short. The young woman smiles openly at them, "This is Silvermoon and her partner Darkmaw, they also hail from the surface."

Splinter bows slightly to them, just as an acknowledgment.

Yuki continues, indicating the two elementals beside her, both are black stone but one sprouts spears of emeralds from its body, and the other is covered in short crystals of rubies. "These are Krilik and Gorruk." She lifts her other hand to take in the other side of the table, moving on to the Duergar, "Master Horruol Deepthane and his apprentice Jorbel Grimforge." Both dwarves are dressed in black armor that seems to match the table, with fiery red hair and beards, though Horruol wears thin gold bands throughout his hair and beard. "Then there is Alyssa of the House of Poison, and her brother, Drek. And finally, our envoys from the Driders, Nephanee, and Kenia."

Drek glares daggers at the turtles, his long white hair pulled back into an intricate ponytail, though only a few spheres of obsidian decorate his hair. He looks young, though it's hard to tell with his black skin and pale yellow eyes. Alyssa seems less inclined to even look at the turtles at this point, her long hair piled up on her head in swirls and waves, covered in nets of black diamonds. Both wear black leathers, pants, and shirts that are decorated according to their station.

Raph's eyes light on Yuki and his heart stops. Her deep blue eyes lock on his, but her face remains neutral as she stands with all the known colors shimmering on her white skin. He breaks the eye contact, not wanting to give anything away, so he lets his gaze drift over the other councilors. Raph almost laughs at the glaring drow, Drek, breaking the illusion. The guy looks like a black skinned and white-haired Vulcan from that movie Donnie begged them to see. Star Trek. He keeps his features calm and intimidating though. Splinter had kept him up half the night drilling a script into him, as that was the only uninterrupted time they had.

Splinter steps forward and bows deeply, resting heavily on his staff, "I am pleased and honored to meet you all. Forgive the short notice, Empress Yuki, for we had little time to spare. My charge, Raphael, had a vision of great importance, and he refused to say more except that we were needed here."

Raphael takes his cue and steps forward past Leo, boldly glaring at the drow until he looks away. He bows his head slightly towards Yuki, as if he were her equal, "Empress, two days ago I had a powerful vision, the first of my young life, to seek out the lost River Clan and create an alliance. I feel Fate's hand in this meeting, pulling me away from my ocean shore home." He keeps his eyes on her, and he can see the surprise in her eyes. "I saw you in my arms, safe and protected, as you held the clan within yours, your empire spread out at our feet." Her eyes turn to amusement, and that does tug the corners of his mouth up slightly, "My vision did not do you justice, for you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. I would like to court you if you allow."

Yuki's eyes light up and she gives him a soft smile, "Those are bold words, warrior. I welcome you here, and I hope that our hospitality is up to your standards. I fear for any courtship period I must gain approval from my council. They have given me less than a handful of days to become betrothed, and only they can loosen the bonds of that."

Raphael glares around at the councilors, and he can feel Leo completely ignoring them. Mikey fidgets, stuck between Splinter and Sarrok, while Donnie stands behind them all, about as in shadow as one can be in a room that glows.

Yuki looks around at her councilors, "Presented with this new information, what does the council say?"

Alyssa stands, her voice clear and musical, "I see no reason to allow such when you've been courted already and have merely to choose a mate. Drek has been very attentive to your needs, Empress. This upstart barely shows you proper respect."

Raphael eyes the drow slowly, but Leo is the one who speaks, "Upstart?" Raph almost whips around in anger, as Leo uses that tone of superiority when he's mad at him, but now the voice has a new target. "I will assume you speak of ignorance, for anything else would be considered insulting. As the Empress leads her people, so I will lead ours, with one exception." He pins the drow with his ice blue eyes, "Yuki's clan are our weakened cousins. Your pathetic little 'empire' here is much like a country village. I, personally, would not sink down to my brother's level, no matter how sweet the prize looks, but he is second born."

The drow's eyes widen slightly, and she slowly sinks down into her chair, silent.

One Drider, Nephanee, stands and leans over the table, "I mussst agree with Assslyn. I sssee no benefit of a courtship. Thisss new information shedsss an interessssting light. Perhapsss it isss too much to asssk such powerful beingsss to ally themssselvesss with ussss."

Leo actually nods at the Drider, still keeping his hands folded up his sleeves. He has much to hide, and Raph's opposition is becoming his role.

The Duergar speak next, Horroul stands on his chair to be nearly as tall as Mikey, "I see the chance for growth and profit. Trade can move from our kingdom to the surface, and vice versa. I agree to courtship, and I will even support a betrothal if that is in the stones." He glares at the drow and driders, showing a stubborn streak before he settles back down.

Zal'ysho stands, his tentacles writhing in annoyance, "I am not sure these beings have our best interest at heart. They are surface dwellers, they know nothing of our world or our people. This young one merely had a vision. Empress, you have brought peace to us, but would you jeopardize it over a stranger?"

Yuki frowns slightly, then looks at the two elementals. Gorruk speaks in a dry, rumbling voice, "Newcomer is strong blood, compatible with Empress. Courtship is unnecessary. Let them mate and grow."

Yuki suddenly blushes at that blunt statement.

Silvermoon stands lastly, showing simple t-shirt and jeans attire, "I say no to the courtship. There is something here that I can't put my finger on." Her eyes drift over the group slowly, that knowing smirk still on her lips as she sits down.

Yuki frowns slightly, but she nods, "I am outvoted then. I fear I must decline your offer of courtship."

Raphael had expected this, though he hoped for a different outcome. He offers his hand over the table, once more surprised at just how small she is, "Then I have no choice but to offer my hand in marriage. I feel I must fulfill this vision."

Yuki looks very solemn as she rests her small hand in his, "I am afraid I must accept, as you are the only one that will bring a strong heir, and such strength is sorely needed."

Raphael can't contain his sudden blush that rises to his cheeks, and he knows he'll hear about it later from his brothers. The silence in the room is deafening as the councilors protests were taken the wrong way and they've lost their chance to sway the Empress.

Yuki looks at her councilors, her hand lightly on his, "The betrothal will be-" She stops, her eyes wide as Raphael pulls the blade he caught away from her face. It had cut his hand, but he stopped it a mere inch from her eye. Yuki doesn't even get a chance to compose herself as Raphael drops the blade and scoops her up to hold hard against his plastron, the sound of metal ringing against shell making her cling to him tightly.

Leo tries to watch as dispassionately as possible, but the dagger that suddenly appears in Raphael's hand takes him off guard, as do the six others that follow, gouging into his shell. He turns to see who threw the daggers, and suddenly the Nagah make much more sense. Darkmaw's seat is empty, but a giant of a black mamba with thick, scaly arms holds the half shadow humanoid in his arms, his fangs sunken deep into the things shoulder. He hears Splinter whisper a curse that has gotten Raphael into trouble more times than he can count. Mikey inhales sharply, but Sarrok drops a heavy hand on his shoulder, "It's alright youngling, Darkmaw has things well in hand… or maw."

Even Donnie is unnaturally quiet, and a quick look shows that his green skin is pale, and sweat stands out on his forehead. Leo hopes to hell they never have to fight their way out of here.

Raphael gives Yuki a confident half-smile, whispering so only she can hear, "See? I'll protect ya." He holds Yuki close, giving her a wink then dropping his mask of fury down over his features. He stands and looks around at the councilors, then at his brothers, the fury almost becoming real as Leo eyes him dispassionately. He keeps his temper though and slowly sets Yuki down, leaving a thick smear of blood on her white gown from his sliced hand.

Yuki doesn't notice, though she shakes all over. Let the councilors think its anger, but Raph saw the fear in her eyes and that alone makes his heartache. Yuki glowers at her councilors, at everyone in the room, her voice as cold and sharp as ice, "I will know who brought the shadow assassin here." Raph stays by her side, his hand dripping blood on the floor as he scowls at the councilors.

Only silence answers the Empress. Darkmaw slithers past the turtles, his eyes even with Sarrok's in this form, and he drops the corpse into the middle of the room, bowing slightly to the Empress. Yuki's eyes suddenly glow brightly, lightning flashing in them and making the others shrink back. Only the dragonkin, the nagah, and Raphael's family stand unflinching. Her lips turn into a snarl and her wings mantle up, making her appear larger than even the elementals, "I will not be denied justice. Find the culprit and bring them to me, or you will see my father's rule return with a vengeance."

Was that fear in the eyes of the councilors? Raph glances down at Yuki, wondering if he's helping a tyrant, but he catches the terror in her eyes and her stance. She's still shaking, but it's with fear, not anger. He reaches down and squeezes her hand lightly; her fingers ice cold in his.

Yuki lifts her chin up, standing tall, "This meeting is over. You have until tomorrow morning to bring me the assassin's accomplice." She lets his hand go and swirls out of the door, followed by her guards.

Sarrok steps forward and rests a hand on his shoulder, "Come, you must be seen to. Assassins usually poison their blades."

Raphael holds up his hand as if seeing it for the first time, "It's only a scratch." A hint of battle lust flares into his green eyes, "Besides, poisons don't harm me."

Sarrok squeezes his shoulder tightly, mostly hiding his surprise at that bit of information, "Still, you must be cared for. I refuse to let my Empress see you hurt."

Raphael eyes the council with a smirk, walking with the pride and confidence of a man who won his first battle against all odds. His family follows him silently, Donnie looking nervous at the very idea of an assassin while Mikey stays close to a shaky Splinter. Leo steps up beside his brother and looks down at him as best as he can with Raphael being taller, "What the hell kind of stunt was that? I thought we were here to follow your vision and help this Empress of yours, not turn this into your own little battleground!"

Raphael narrows his eyes dangerously, this is the Leo he knows, the one that seems so smug when he thinks he's right, "How the hell else am I supposed to help? Huh? I saved her life! You probably couldn't have done that! You're weak, Leonardo!"

Leo's eyes turn icy and his voice is almost as cold as Yuki's, "I will move on to greater things while you wallow away your life in some pathetic little dungeon kingdom, fighting battles for a wife that will grow to hate your battle lust."

Raph clenches his hands into fists, but before he throws a punch, Splinter steps between them. Raphael nearly growls his words, "At least I'll have a wife, and a kingdom that's all mine and not some fucked up cast off of yours." He turns and storms down the hallway back to their rooms.

Yuki storms to her rooms, maintaining the illusion of anger until the door closes. She stares at the quiet chambers, then down at the blood streak Raphael left on her. That's when the shaking hits her hard and she sinks down to the floor, shock setting in deeply.

Cheriss emerges from Yuki's bedroom and when she sees the blood, she races to her Empress and wraps her tightly in her arms, lifting her up to see if she's ok, "Yuki! Oh, Celestials! Stay with me, I'll get you to a healer!"

Yuki tries to wave her off, "It's not my blood… Cheriss… I'm ok… mostly."

Cheriss carries her to a couch and refuses to calm down until she slides the gown off and checks her for any hurts at all, then she sighs deeply and slumps to the floor, "What happened? Whose blood?"

Yuki shivers hard and slowly wraps her wings tightly around her body. Cheriss moves up and hugs her Empress close, "Yuki… talk to me, please."

Yuki closes her eyes, "Raphael's… it's his blood."

Cheriss swallows the tears that suddenly threaten to fall, "Oh no… oh don't tell me they killed him."

Yuki shakes her head, "No, not him… they tried to kill me, Cheriss… me, the Empress. They were going to kill me for not doing what they wanted… He saved me."

Cheriss hugs Yuki hard, "Come on, let's get you in the bath, that'll warm you up and help you calm down." She stands, carrying Yuki into the bathing room.

Yuki clings to Cheriss until she steps into the steaming waters, and even then it takes time for her to let her go. It takes even more time for Cheriss to ease Yuki down onto the bench, "Please, talk to me. It's over now; tell me so I may help."

Yuki shivers once more, hugging her knees to her chest, "I am betrothed, and now I am hunted. I didn't give in to the council, didn't let them play me, so I guess I'm expendable in their minds."

Cheriss sits beside Yuki and pulls her head to her shoulder, stroking her long black hair, "You are not expendable in ours. We'll keep you safe, no matter what."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

When the others make it to their suite, Sarrok opens the door slowly, showing an odd scene. Raphael is laughing with Kriss as she cleans the paint off his shell, "And can you believe it? I swear that the whole room was shaking in fear when Yuki told them they had one day to find the bastard!" He had taken off his vest and armor, as well as his greaves and bracers, and he's looking very relaxed.

Kriss chuckles softly, "Empress Yuki is too kind a soul to bring back her father's rule, but none of them know it."

She falls silent when Sarrok steps into the room, a fanged smile on his lips, "Well done." His smile fades quickly though, "I am saddened that the assassination attempts have started already. I fear that Yuki will need to be watched day and night now."

Raph glances up at Leo, hoping that his anger was just a ruse to throw things off with the council. Leo gives him a half grin, "You did good Raph. You're right; I wouldn't have caught that dagger in time."

Raphael smirks, glad to know things are right with his brother. Mikey storms through the door and slams it shut behind him, causing everyone to look at him in confusion. He nearly rips his robes off and chucks them hard at the wall, "FUUUUUUCK! I never want to do that again! Do you know how hard it is to keep silent in a room like that? Keep still? I had Splinter on one side and this overgrown lizard on the other, keeping me from doing ANY-FUCKING-THING!"

The brothers laugh at Mikey's outburst, Sarrok looking rather puzzled at being called an overgrown lizard. Donnie pushes his glasses back up on his nose and pulls out one of the quills, "I was wondering why you were being so quiet. I'd have thought you'd be asking all kinds of questions, and even hitting on that Nagah chick, Silvermoon."

Sarrok shivers slightly, "No! Don't hit on Silvermoon, ever. You saw Darkmaw's true form today, and he is not as powerful as Silvermoon. She'd devour you just because she can. They are also our closest allies, but they are not our friends. Silvermoon has done her best to deliver messages for the Empress, even asking for the help of a race she knows, something called the Mokole who are much like ancient dragons. At least, so she says." He frowns as he thinks about the day, "I should look in on-"

There's a quiet knock on the door, and with a confused look Donatello opens it slightly. He stammers softly and opens the door wide, letting Yuki and Cheriss in, along with half a dozen elite guards. Yuki looks very subdued beside the larger dragonkin, and her eyes first glance at Sarrok, then turn to Raphael.

Donnie closes and locks the door, and as soon as the bolt hits home, Sarrok sweeps the young empress into his arms and hugs her very close. Yuki bursts into tears and clings to him tightly, even her wings wrapping around his broad shoulders and back, "Uncle…" Cheriss looks like she's been on the receiving end of this more than once, but she rests a sympathetic hand on Yuki's back, making soft, soothing noises.

Sarrok holds her tightly, "I know. I'm sorry I wasn't prepared for the reaction. I had thought it would take at least a day for them to bring in assassins. I should have known better. Forgive me."

Raphael looks away from the emotional display, suddenly feeling very guilty for enjoying the small amount of danger. He looks down at his bandaged hand, still a hint of blood on the bandage itself. He clenches it into a fist, glaring as he realizes this is probably her first brush with death and he turns, storming to his room.

His family follows him, not wishing to intrude on such a private moment. Splinter sits on a bench near the wall and looks concerned, "What is wrong, my son?"

Donnie closes the door behind him, and points a thumb back at it, "In case you haven't noticed, his girlfriend is hugging and crying on another guy."

Mikey sighs as he drops down on the bed, "Burn dude."

Raphael swings a punch at Leo, knowing his brother can take the hit and really not wanting to damage the sculpted walls, "DAMN!"

Leo catches the punch and turns it aside, his eyes wide at the force behind it, "Why are you so angry?!"

Raphael glares at them all, wondering how they couldn't have noticed, "She's innocent! She puts on this strong mask and stands up against all these murderers and assassins! Inside she's still a child! She's fucking innocent and now she's in the middle of this fucked up plan! You know how bad she was shaking? I thought she'd fall apart right there, but she pulled it together somehow! Now she's in there crying like a kid and I feel like a damn idiot for agreeing to this!"

Silence permeates the room as his angry words sink in. Leo is the first to speak, seeing something new in his brother that he never thought was there before, "If one of us didn't do this, she'd be dead anyway. She needs us. Are you going to back out?"

Raph stares at his brother as if he just spoke gibberish, "Out? Fuck no! I can handle assassins, murderers, fights, damn near anything you can throw at me! But…" He looks down as his anger bleeds out of him, his voice lowering, "She doesn't deserve this kind of life." He looks back at Leo, his eyes pleading for understanding, "She's innocent bro. She's never hurt or killed anyone." He falters and slumps down to his knees, the energy gone with his anger, "Man… I can't handle someone like her getting hurt. It would rip me apart inside."

Leo takes his brother's confession, admiration warring with surprise though none of it shows in his stoic blue eyes. He sits by Raphael and rests a hand on his shoulder, "You're the best one for the job, Raph. You've always been our point man. We're a team though, we work together on this. Four shells are better than one."

Raphael glances at his brother, that was the last thing he expected. He thought Leo would berate him for being weak, for breaking down. He nods and gives a faint smile, "Alright bro. How do we keep her safe then?"

Splinter smiles, proud of his son for reaching out to his brothers, "That, we will need to speak to Sarrok for. I do not know what customs they have with betrothed couples, perhaps she may stay in our suite or we in hers so we may guard her constantly. For now, my son, I think she needs to feel your confidence. Go speak with her."

Raphael barely hides his blush at the thought of them sharing a suite with Yuki, but he pales at the very idea of talking to her right now, "What do I even say to her? You coached me on what to say to her before, but I'm not wordy like that!"

Mikey rolls his eyes, "Go be yourself for once! Maybe then Leo can get the girl cause you're such a jerk."

Raphael growls and chucks a pillow at Mikey's head, but he only catches it and throws it back, "Seriously dude! Go be the hero!"

Donnie opens the door for Raph, "If you don't go now, I will. They do love the intellectual guys around here, and I think I could match my brains against your brawn."

That right there got Raphael up and he glares at Donatello, "Don't even think about it." He brushes past his brother and walks into a very quiet room. The guards stand by the door, two on each side and two a few steps before the door, as that is the only way in or out. Raph frowns, realizing just how easy it would be to turn this room into a prison cell.

He walks towards the pool, not seeing Yuki or the others anywhere else, and as he gets close, he can see over the low wall. Sarrok sits with his legs crossed, with the female that Yuki came in with resting across his lap, her chin on his thigh. Yuki sits like a little girl, her feet splashing in the water as she talks quietly. He's half tempted to hang back and listen, but the female's tail seems to wave him over, "We have company." Her voice is deep and husky, but pleasant to hear.

Raphael gives a half wave as he sits beside Yuki, pulling up his loose pants and letting his feet slide into the cool water, "Hey, I'm Raphael."

Yuki's eyes light up as soon as she sees him but darken almost immediately and she looks back down at the pool. Cheriss smirks faintly, her teeth not as thick as Sarrok's, but more needle-like, "I am Cheriss, Yuki's guardian and Sarrok's headstrong mate."

Sarrok sighs as one who has suffered for so long and he strokes his hand down along Cheriss' back, "My stubborn, violent, and dangerous mate. We were just discussing what happened today and how we may be able to prevent more like it."

Cheriss sighs, relaxing as Sarrok's hand soothes her, "I have to know something, how is it that you are immune to poisons? Sarrok said that was your claim and you aren't suffering any ill effects. If that blade had nicked Yuki, she would be dying…"

Yuki shivers hard at that, her brush with death closer than she had even thought. Raph glances down at her, and he dares to drape his arm over her slender shoulders, tugging her against his side and keeping his arm around her. Yuki blushes softly, but she doesn't pull away. Instead, she leans against his side, making Raphael's heart pound. He looks back at Cheriss and Sarrok, "It's the mutagen. It was meant to be a cure for some really noxious stuff. Seems like it could cure almost anything since my brothers and I hardly ever get sick. Thing is, I gambled that the knife wasn't poisoned, I wasn't sure til you told me." He shrugs a shoulder lightly.

Sarrok stares at Raphael in absolute shock, "So, you risked your very life to keep her safe…" His voice holds more than awe, it holds a large amount of respect.

Raphael glances back at Yuki, "Yeah. Seems like she's worth it. If I go down, my brothers will stay and help you."

Yuki looks up at him, her head leaning back against his shoulder, "I'm really glad you came, Raphael."

Raph grins, giving her a small squeeze, "Me too." He looks back at Sarrok and Cheriss, "So, what are our options at this point? Master Splinter had the thought that Yuki could stay here with us, or we could move to her rooms so she's protected day and night."

Sarrok glances down at Cheriss, "That is your expertise, my love."

Cheriss closes her eyes and steam slowly rises from her nostrils as she thinks, "Well, traditionally, the couple move in together after being betrothed, allowing them the freedom to learn of each other before the wedding. Either one can call it off at any time if there are problems. I suppose if Raphael wished to stay with his brothers, we could rumor that Yuki stays in her rooms, but hide her here at night, then bring her and Raphael to the council in the morning. The consort's throne can be brought out to make sure no one misunderstands Yuki's intentions. But, that doesn't resolve the original issue that we have."

Sarrok growls dangerously, but Yuki speaks up, a hint of the Empress returning, "I know you don't like it uncle, but this place is slowly killing us. It's not safe here. Not for me, or you, or any of the younglings. Today has driven that home to me." She doesn't look at her adopted family, or even at Raphael, but at the pool itself.

Sarrok grumbles, "We have nowhere else to go. The surface isn't safe either and the humans would kill us much faster than the drow here."

Raph listens, feeling like he probably interrupted this conversation when he joined them. He rubs his neck with his free hand, still not letting Yuki go since she seems comfortable, "You know… there could be a place. I mean… We live near the surface, safe and hidden from the humans, aside from a few trustworthy ones. There are thousands of tunnels, and even abandoned places that you could all live in. Probably not nearly as big as this place, but I dunno… Donnie knows more about it. "

Sarrok, Cheriss, and Yuki all stare at him as if he just dropped a bomb in their laps. Yuki recovers first, "But is it safe? I mean… what about food and water?"

Sarrok eyes Raph hard, not quite a glare, "Is it big enough? Will there be room for everyone?"

Raphael begins to squirm under all the stares, "Well, New York City is right on the coast, so there's the ocean nearby, the Hudson and the East rivers run through it. I'm sure we can find a place with room for everyone, but I'm not too sure about the food and clean water. There's a lot of water, but I don't know how clean it is."

Yuki frowns, looking down as she thinks about it, "We could call a leviathan then, and ask if they would help once more… but how do we get everyone out safely? We have thousands of people here, we can't just up and leave, the council would know something is happening."

Raphael gives Yuki a curious look, "The leviathans?"

Cheriss answers while Sarrok sits in deep thought, "When we fled the humans, we asked the leviathan's help. There was one, Kaerkan, who led us to the sacred pool and helped Yuki's grandfather carve out the city and palace. He created the pool in the center and created the fish that we live on. They grow fast and large on little sustenance. Now, we have more fish than people as our numbers have been reduced to… nearly half of what we once were."

Sarrok rubs between his brow ridges, "I fear the only answer I have for you is one neither of you may like." He glances at them, suppressing a smile at how protective Raphael looks as he holds Yuki.

Raphael shrugs slightly, "Hey, I'm having a blast here. What else could you throw at me?"

Sarrok's grin emerges, dark and sinister, and suddenly he regrets his words, "Get married. The Empress is allowed a week to settle into her new role as a mate and allow the couple time to ensure an heir. That puts everything on hold, makes the councilors go home, and gives us a chance to clean up their spies before we move everyone."

Raph's arm suddenly tightens around Yuki, and she squeaks in surprise, "Raphael!"

He suddenly blushes and lets her go, "Sorry! I'm so sorry Yuki! Are you alright?"

Yuki coughs slightly and nods, "I'm fine, but… what about you?" She eyes him closely, trying to gauge his answer.

Cheriss chuckles softly and she nudges Sarrok, whispering very softly, "We should let the hatchlings process this and figure it out. We can speak with the others of this little plan. Perhaps they have some wisdom to share with us."

Sarrok nods, eyeing the turtle that looks like he was just hit in the back of the head, "I agree."

Quietly, they both get up and leave, giving Raphael and Yuki privacy. That alone makes Raphael blush even more deeply and he looks away, running his hand over his head, "Well… ok… I'm surprised and really damn nervous now. I know you gotta marry someone, but… so soon?" He stops when he sees the disappointment in her features from the corner of his green eyes and he changes tracks, "Don't get me wrong, I like you-"

She pulls away from him now and stares back in the dark water, her legs and feet the only light in that darkness, "But you are disappointed in me. I couldn't even predict my councilors, or defend myself from their attack. I am not strong like you are."

Raphael frowns at that, not even realizing that she sees herself like this. He leans down, gently grabbing her chin and pulling her up to look at him, "No. You are one of the strongest people I've ever met. You could've completely lost it and cried in the council room and I wouldn't think any less of you. You have an inner strength that rivals my muscles, and I'm proud to be your protector. I'll stay by your side until we get things figured out."

Yuki stares up at his eyes, looking for something there, "You risked your life to save mine without hesitation, but this… this is what makes you-"

Raphael puts a thick finger on her soft lips, "It makes me think, not my best area. Ask Donnie." He takes a slow breath, trying hard not to think about how soft her lips are, "I'm a jerk, Yuki. I have a mean temper and I'm really not sure what your laws are about this marriage stuff. We're both really young, and to be completely honest, I don't want you to regret anything. I'm an assassin; I've killed and will kill again. Hearing about it is one thing, but being in the middle of it is another thing altogether. I'm trying to think past the moment with you."

Yuki watches him closely but can't see past the hidden emotions behind his eyes. She pulls his hand down, "If I have no choice, I will do my duty without regret. My people-"

Once again, Raphael puts his finger on her lips, "What do you want, Yuki? If you didn't have the responsibility to your people, or the council, or anything else, what would you want to do?"

Yuki blushes very softly, then she kisses his finger, making him blush as brilliant as his sash, "I like you a lot. I admit that I watched you the moment you walked into the Cavern of Visions…" She looks down, ashamed that she acted so crudely, "You were so carefree, even if it was just for a moment."

Raphael had a hard time focusing on what she said, still so damn distracted by that kiss on his finger. Finally, he shakes his head hard, "Yuki."

She cringes slightly, looking back down. She shouldn't have told him that or said anything at all.

He brushes his hand over her hair slowly, then pulls her into his arms, hugging her gently, "I would be honored if you chose me to be yours. Not out of obligation, but from what you feel in your own heart. That is my hesitation, this isn't a duty. This is a life-changing decision. I want to make it for the right reasons."

Yuki tenses in his arms, then slowly relaxes as his words wash over her. Suddenly all the conflict she saw in him makes sense, and she hugs him back tightly, "I am a coward, I get scared so easily."

Raphael strokes her hair softly, smirking at her confession, "I get scared sometimes too. I was scared when they tried to kill you. Being strong and brave doesn't mean you don't get scared, it means you act despite that fear. You stood up and acted, showing just how strong you truly are. Don't ever be ashamed of being afraid."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Sarrok and Cheriss walk into Raphael's room, smirking a bit. Sarrok pulls Cheriss against him, "My friends, this is my beloved mate, Cheriss. Cheriss, my love, you know the younglings and their master, Splinter."

Cheriss grins, "A pleasure indeed. Raphael's been telling us interesting stories." Her eyes pierce Donnie with a great amount of interest, causing him to shrink slightly under her predatory gaze.

Splinter bows his head respectfully, "A pleasure to meet you at last, Cheriss. Join us and be welcome."

Cheriss chuckles, "You are very well spoken, Master Splinter. You give me hope that these barbarian leviathans will learn manners eventually."

Sarrok arches a brow at his mate's words, "Cheriss!"

Mikey bursts out laughing, still sprawled on Raphael's bed, "Good one! Barbarians! Hahahaha!"

Donatello rolls his eyes, "Please, don't compare all of us to Raphael. He's more muscle than brains." He glances over at Mikey, "Well…" He coughs and looks up at Cheriss, "Anyway."

Cheriss chuckles softly, and Sarrok even smiles at seeing the others relaxed and able to joke a little. "Raphael actually made a very intelligent remark."

Leo tilts his head to the side slightly, "Oh really? Is this the same Raphael that just got a kick out of thwarting an assassin earlier today?"

Cheriss nods, highly amused, "It is! I believe he's trying to impress our young Empress. He made a passing comment on how you all live near the surface, but safely hidden away." She sits on the edge of the bed, leaning back against the floor slightly, "And mentioned we needed to talk to Donatello about perhaps finding us a place to live near the surface."

Sarrok sits behind his mate and rests his hands on her shoulders, interested in her approach.

Donnie smiles, surprised and pleased that Raphael thought of him, and amused that he tried to be smart after his comment. His lips curl into a frown as he tries to remember every tunnel system in New York. He closes his eyes, pushing away all the smaller tunnels, "Is this for just you two? Or do you want to move the whole clan?"

Sarrok watches him with fascination, the hint of a deep violet glow surrounding the young leviathan, "The whole clan. This place is slowly killing us. We want a safe place, with food and water, shelter enough for perhaps four thousand dragonkin."

Donnie frowns more deeply, his head beginning to hurt. He wishes he had an internet connection; it would be so much easier to find a place. Then it hits him, and he opens his eyes wide, "There's the flooded subway tunnels on the East side. It's as good a place as any. They were building a new subway to go under the East River and into Long Island, but there was a hurricane, and the retaining walls were destroyed, flooding the entire project and causing them to abandon it. There's a good mile of underwater tunnels, and the stations are above the flood line, but sealed off from the surface too." He looks over at Sarrok and Cheriss, "Would that work?"

Cheriss stares at Donatello, "That would work perfectly…"

Donnie smiles with a bit of pride until he realizes his brothers are also staring at him, "What? It's not a bad place. There are about four subway stations that are usable…"

Mikey shakes his head, "Duude! You were glowing! How did you do that?"

Donnie frowns once more and glares at his younger brother, "I don't glow, Mikey. I think the light was playing with you. The gems glow, and the walls glow, but we don't."

Splinter glances at Sarrok, "Perhaps it was a trick of the light, Lord Sarrok?"

Sarrok shakes his head, "No, it was faint, but your son was using his abilities. He has a gift for knowledge beyond what we know."

Donnie stares between Splinter and Sarrok, confused, but the crack of thunder makes all of them jump to their feet. Splinter grabs his staff, his eyes wide with fear, "Raphael!"

Sarrok stands and leaps for the door, knowing his Empress is in danger, but he's slow as the turtles arm themselves and race out the door and into utter chaos.

Raphael hugs Yuki close, relaxed with her in his arms and if he wasn't so quiet and still with her he would have missed the soft thud by the door. His arm tightens on Yuki slightly, and she glances up at him with a hint of alarm. He nods her towards the pool and silently eases her into the water, signaling her to stay down as long as she can. As soon as she sinks out of sight, Raphael slips a dagger from his belt and shortens his loincloth, knowing it could get in the way here. He ties part of the cut fabric around his head, his own way of focusing for what's to come.

The whistle through the air is his only warning and he leaps over the low wall and rolls across the floor, hearing several daggers hit the floor where he once was. He looks up, crouched low with an angry glare in his green eyes. Alyssa stands over the bodies of the elite guards, each one with black tracing their veins from poison. Spread out on the wall are eight driders with masks hiding their hair and faces, and in a protective half-circle around the Drow councilor are another six of those shadow assassins that had tried to kill Yuki.

Raph leaps to the side as another set of flying daggers go after him, and he realizes too late that they are chasing him from the pool. The driders fall from the wall and storm over the pool, but before Raphael can scramble back towards Yuki's hiding place, a powerful bolt of lightning strikes right in the middle of the spidery assassins, throwing them all outward. Yuki leaps out of the water, aiming straight for him. He catches her in his arms and turns quickly, putting his shell between her and the assassin blades that follow her leap.

Yuki stares up at him, her eyes wide with fear, "Raphael…"

Raph gives her a confident grin, "Nothin' I can't handle." He brushes his lips over her forehead, hiding the hint of fear in his own eyes, "I need to let you go to fight."

He's not sure how he's going to fight with her in plain sight, but she nods with understanding, "Throw me towards the ceiling, I can glide to your room from there and stay out of range…"

Raphael breathes a deep sigh of relief and kisses her cheek warmly, "Ready?"

At her nod, he gets up and races towards the opposite side of the suite, leaping onto the table and jumping as high into the air as he can, giving her as much cover as possible before he spins and throws her light frame towards the ceiling like a falconer tosses his most precious hawk. Yuki gives him the briefest smile, then her wings snap open and she glides back towards his rooms, her hands glowing brightly. Raphael has no time to think of that as a dagger embeds itself into his thigh, causing him to crash down onto the table. He glares and pulls the dagger from his thigh and throws it at one of the driders climbing the wall after Yuki, impaling it through the chest.

Another lightning bolt hits the floor by Alyssa, but the drow leaps away at the last minute, glaring at the Empress and her electrified hands. Then a curse escapes her lips as three more leviathans emerge from the dust, each bearing weapons.

Mikey runs across the room to Raph, and before a word is said, he tears off part of his loincloth to tie off the deep cut on his thigh, "Dude! Bro why ya gotta have all the fun without us?"

Raph smirks, his eyes on the white form gliding above the chaos and raining down bolts of lightning. The thunder is almost deafening in the room. Mikey presses Raph's sai into his hands, and Raph grins darkly, then gets up to join the fight.

Sarrok stares in shock at the violence before him. Already blood pools on the floor, black with hints of red. Dust creates a thin veil against the death, but Yuki's lightning strikes can only go on for so long before she weakens. He sees her circling the stalactite near the ceiling, her rage visible in her glowing hands. The smell of burnt flesh makes Sarrok choke, but he takes a deep breath, "YUKI! HERE!"

Yuki glances down at her uncle, standing there in the doorway and waiting for her to glide into safety. She hesitates, seeing Raphael below her, fighting against the shadow assassins. Leonardo battles with Alyssa, sword to sword, while Michelangelo shows his agility by leaping off the walls and beating down the, driders viciously. Even Donatello fights hard, defending Sarrok from any stray daggers and keeping her escape open.

Leonardo matches swords with Alyssa, her dark grin a counterpart for his. She deflects a two sword attack from him and slides in under his guard, slicing along his plastron plates over his stomach, "Such a surprise that you know blades, Lord."

Leo grunts as her swords scrape across his armored torso, leaving deep scores but not hurting him much. He reverses his strike and tangles one sword with hers, the other nearly taking off her head and leaving a long lock of hair on the floor, "Why are you trying to kill the Empress?"

Alyssa laughs, losing her sword and pulling a blackened dagger, "Because I want the throne. It may be a backwater kingdom to you, but it holds riches and power enough to satisfy my desires." She slams the pommel of her dagger into his stomach, knocking the breath out of him, then reversing it to slam against his temple, knocking him out.

Michelangelo is silent as he takes out the last of the driders, using his skateboard to crush their bulbous bodies when they fall from the walls. He feels nothing but disgust at killing these creatures, but he can't let them screw things up for Raph. He's been bearable since he met Yuki, and he'd love to see him get settled down so he can tease him about kids. He catches sight of Yuki above him and gives her a wave.

Raphael snarls when he sees Alyssa take down Leo, and he stabs his sai deep into the two shadow assassins, then flings them up over his back. With a feral growl, he dives after Alyssa. Too late he sees the dart gun rising to her lips, and with a glare of hatred, she fires as Yuki glides over.

Michelangelo's hand stops in mid-wave as he sees Yuki suddenly crumple in the air, and fall into the dusty chaos. Then Raphael's scream of rage clears out the dust with a wall of heated wind. In his arms, he cradles Yuki against his chest, and his eyes nearly glow red with hatred.

With the utmost care, Raphael lays Yuki on a soft bench, and he pulls out the dart that struck her just below her collar bone. Already black lines of poison lance outwards under her skin and her ocean blue eyes dilate with pain, though she doesn't make a sound.

Raphael takes one look into her eyes, then stands and glares at Alyssa, "You drow bitch!" He barely gives her a chance to respond before he crosses his sai with her sword and dagger.

Alyssa snarls back, a light of triumph in her eyes, "I did you a favor! Why would you even bother marrying below your station? She was weak, pathetic!"

Raphael lets out a roar of rage as he catches her sword in his sai and twists, snapping the blade off easily. His other sai catches her wrist and with a savage twist, he breaks her arm.

Alyssa feels her forearm snap, making her drop the dagger, but she gasps in pleasure. Raphael raises his browridges in surprise, and she quickly twists his sai from him, despite the pain in her arm. She tosses them aside, then with a word a deep darkness engulfs them.

Raphael moves as soon as the darkness falls, hearing two daggers slice through the air where he once was. He closes his eyes, listening, stretching out his senses. He moves as silent as a ghost, holding his breath so it won't betray him. Alyssa seems to be doing the same, as he can hear nothing from her. His toe brushes against one of Leo's swords, causing it to scrape on the floor faintly. He grabs it and rolls away, hearing the daggers hit the floor where he was. If he could, he'd curse at this bitch, but that would just give him away.

He holds Leo's sword at the ready, glad for a weapon that she doesn't know about. This time he scrapes the floor on purpose, brushing his toe against some rubble, then spinning away silently. He hears the daggers and follows the sound back to the source. Only then does he swing, the sword arcing from his shoulder and out towards Alyssa.

The darkness vanishes, and Alyssa's headless body falls to the floor, her head already rolling away, leaving a trail of red blood. Raphael drops the sword, seeing that Mikey is already waking Leo up, and Donnie runs across the slick floor, sliding as he tries to change direction.

Raphael takes two large strides and scoops Yuki up into his arms, her scales already becoming dull as black lines trail under them up along her neck and down her chest and arm. Her eyes warm as she sees him and she struggles to raise her hand to his cheek, wiping away tears he had no idea he was shedding. His heart tears apart as she whispers softly to him, "Y-you…" she swallows hard, trying again, "You… hold my… heart… Raphael…."

He hugs her hard against him, pressing her head against his chest, "No, you can't go yet. I just found you." He kisses her cheek softly, "I'll do anything, just stay…. Stay with me…."

Yuki closes her eyes, and her hand slowly slides away from his cheek. Raphael shakes hard, and when he looks up at his brothers, there is nothing but heartbreak in his eyes, "Donnie… please… you gotta save her. Please…"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Night has faded into the lightening of the cavern, early morning comes and goes. Drek arrives first to the council doors, hoping to catch Alyssa here since she hasn't returned to their rooms. The Illithid arrive soon after, and Drek is glad Alyssa made them wear the mind protecting stones. It's a long wait as the other councilors arrive, the Elementals standing stoically on either side of the door. Silvermoon and Darkmaw are last to arrive, running down the halls as if late, but slowing as they see the doors have not even opened. Confusion sets in, then concern as the time ticks by. Tension thickens the air, like a rare storm that rages through the Underdark, scouring the rocks clean of life.

Concerned murmurs fade to silence as Sarrok walks solemnly down the hall to unlock the doors, dressed all in black with no adornments at all. The meaning is not lost on the members, and Drek hides his smug smirk. Sarrok opens the doors and allows them all to step inside, closing the doors behind him and locking them. The news would be hard, but the response could be fatal. He stands in the middle of the horseshoe table and waits for them all to seat themselves, then he clears his throat, "As I'm sure you've gathered, Empress Yuki is d-" He chokes on the word and almost loses his composure. After a slow breath, he gathers himself, "Dead. She was assassinated last night."

Most of the council sits in stunned silence, many looking shocked, while some show fear, knowing that the drow would have been most likely to assassinate the Empress and take over. Nobody missed Alyssa's absence, and the implication is dire for those that stood against her. They did not expect Raphael to step out from behind the throne, using the door to Yuki's quarters. He stands tall and proud, wearing all black as well. His skin is pale, his eyes red and sleepless. He stands beside the throne, with one powerful hand resting atop the rainbow crystal arm. Sarrok continues sadly, showing a hint of the emotion eating him up inside, "On her deathbed, she spoke the vows of marriage to ensure her people are cared for."

Raphael stares at each councilor in turn. The Illithid and Elementals are too alien to understand their expressions. Silvermoon turns to Darkmaw and weeps on his shoulder, making him pause and wonder what Yuki meant to her. Horroul passes his hand suspiciously over his eyes, while his apprentice looks down at the floor, his shoulders heaving slightly. The driders alone are impassive, while Drek stares at Raphael as if he shouldn't even be standing here. At that last, Raphael's eyes grow hard and cold and he snarls at the dark elf, tossing Alyssa's severed head onto the table before him. He recoils instantly, toppling his chair as he tries to get away from the empty, staring eyes of his sister and mistress. The driders step back as well, hissing at the barbaric display. Raphael only glares at the three, "Alyssa tried to take the empire into her own hands. She found it too hard to handle. Anyone else wish to try?" His hard green eyes swept over the other councilors, but he sees no defiance among the others.

Drek finally gets a hold of his tongue and sets his hate-filled yellow eyes on Raphael, "Why should we follow you? You're nothing but a savage! You killed an innocent woman and for all, we know you killed the Empress as well!" His hands shake with rage, and Nephanee stares in open shock at Drek's outburst.

To the shock of all, Raphael sneers coldly at Drek, "You want to accuse me of murdering my bride. I suppose where you come from, it's common." The look of acceptance in the drow's eyes proves his point, "Where I come from, your mate is your other half, there is no other. There never will be another." The deep pain flashes briefly over his face and he turns to sit purposefully on the throne, looking more tired by the minute, "As for Alyssa, she came into my own rooms with drider and shadow assassins. She attacked Yuki in my very presence." His eyes burn with rage at the memories, "Every single one of them died." He turns that rage on Drek, "Give me one good fucking reason not to wipe out your entire race, elf." He spits that last word like venom, "Yours and those damned spiders you so closely resemble."

Drek bristles at the threat, impulsive and hot-headed without Alyssa's cold presence, "You can't! The laws forbid warring among the Empire! We hold powerful armies that patrol the edges of the Empire, our lands and the others! You destroy us and you leave yourself open for attack from anywhere!"

Nephanee chitters softly, the threat hitting home, "There issss no reassson for threatsssss, Emperor. We cannot control how many of our kind become asssssasssssinssss. It issss a lucrative professssion, and many are good at it."

Raphael turns his hate-filled glare at her, "You're willing to disassociate yourself from the Drow? To never allow them access to your assassins again? No more trade, or even assistance for them?"

Nephanee pauses under that glare, her mind working as fast as it can. Drek glares at her as well and she knows the trap is set well. "We cannot, assss we and the drow depend on eachother. Lloth would be furioussss if we abandon Her children over ssssssomething ssssso petty."

Raphael nods slightly, taking a moment to think about her words, "Leave. The drow and driders are no longer members of this council. I want all of your kind out of the palace and city by dimlight. Anyone that remains will become my target practice." He turns to the rest of the council, "The rest of you have one week to leave. After that, I will hold a mourning period of one month. When I have finally sent my…" He pauses, suddenly the tears threaten to flow, but he clenches his fists tightly and barrels on, "My wife to the heavens, we will discuss this habit of poisons and assassinations, and what the new punishments will be. One month after the end of my mourning period, the Drow and Drider may send one envoy of each race to petition reacceptance into the council, under new laws." He doesn't even listen to the uproar of the councilors, each one trying to get a word in. He merely raises his hand for silence, and it is given, "Leave. This meeting is over and will be the last until my mourning is finished."

The councilors file out of the room nervously, Drek storming out with Alyssa's head cradled in his arms. Silvermoon places a cool hand on his shoulder, her grey eyes speaking understanding though she says not a word. After a moment, she leaves with Darkmaw, his arm light on her shoulders. The driders are last to leave, eyeing Raphael with new respect, and no little fear. This new emperor is violent, unstable, and immune to their poisons. They are quick to gather their people together.

When the doors close and lock once more, Raphael sags in the throne, wishing it had a back to rest against. Sarrok rests his warm hand on his shoulder and gives it a small squeeze, "You did well. Yuki would be proud of you."

Raphael nods slowly, rubbing his brow ridges in frustration, "How did she do this every day? Deal with their whining, backstabbing, and lies?"

Sarrok shrugs, glancing back at the closed door, "I think she tried to see the good in everyone like she saw the good in you."

Raphael rubs his stinging eyes, "Go on without me. I need some time to think."

The larger dragonkin nods and he slips out quietly, leaving Raph in the empty chamber. Alone, the tears finally fall, and he stays there for a few hours, unwilling to go back to his brothers until he's more stable.

In the suite, Splinter and Donnie stay hidden away in Splinter's room, while Leo paces the length of the room, exactly forty-eight steps from one side to the other. Mikey had left early that morning with Silvermoon to check out the tunnel and see if they could get back to the surface. She had returned without him, bringing much-needed supplies for Donnie. Leo was worried about Mikey, but Silvermoon assured him that the turtle was fine, and she had to make her own appearance at the meeting.

It was also dangerous with all the assassins still around, though Raphael had assured him that he'd deal with it. Not that he looked like he could deal with anything right now. Leo turns on his heel, wearing a line in the floor with his pacing. He stops only when Raphael steps through the door, looking strained, tense, and so pale, "We have one month. The sooner we get this done, the better."

Leo sighs deeply and finally sinks down on the bench by the wall, they had cleaned up the place, but no one felt comfortable relaxing in the friendly circle of couches, or at the newly replaced table, "We could have backed you up. You didn't have to go alone."

Raph shrugs and his eyes drift to Splinter's door. Leo already knows what's on his brother's mind, "They're still locked in there. Donnie's never done anything this complicated before, so it'll take time. You gave them that." Leo tries to give his brother hope, but the bleak look in his eyes shows that he's already given up.

Raphael takes off his shirt and drops it on the floor, "I'm going to wash up, I smell like drow." He rolls his broad shoulders, the tension making them tighten up, then he heads to his own room to soak off the day.

Leo shakes his head, glaring after his brother before walking to Splinter's room. He steps in quietly, the scent of death thick in here. Lying on the bed with the blankets up to her chin rests Yuki, only her arm is outside of the covers so Donnie can monitor the IV drip as well as her vitals. Splinter rises to greet his eldest, "How are you holding up, my son?"

Leo looks away from Yuki, her snow-white scales tarnished with black as the poison runs through her, "Not well, but better than Raphael, sensei. I'm not sure what to do or even say to him…"

Splinter moves to his son, patting his cheek warmly, "Your brother has suffered a defeat like none other. He is a proud warrior like you are, but he carries his pain deep in his heart so none may see it. I will speak with him. Donatello has need of you."

Leo shudders slightly, but he nods, "I'm worried about Mikey too, sensei. He hasn't returned, though Silvermoon has been and gone."

Splinter nods in understanding, a shudder climbing up his spine, "I can hope that he has kept his head… Even I am wary of the serpents, though Sarrok seems to trust them. I will check on him." He gives Leo's shoulder a gentle squeeze, "You do not have to do this…"

Leo looks back at Yuki, "Ya, I do. I promised my brother that we'd all keep her safe." He gives Splinter a faint smile, but it fades as soon as he walks towards Donnie. He knows what will come now, and he's not sure which is worse, the knowing and expecting it, or the not knowing and getting hit hard.

He lies beside Yuki on the bed and Donnie gives him a sympathetic smile, "Sorry Leo… Raph is still weak, and Mikey hasn't come back yet."

Leo nods, "Don't worry about it, Donnie. I'd take my turn anyway. I just hope this helps." Leo had only been half conscious when Donnie rigged up a blood transfusion for Yuki, but it was weird. Raphael was the first to take the risk, refusing to let anyone else try it. Donnie pumped Yuki's poisoned blood into him, and with another set, pumped Raphael's blood into her. The pain in her eyes had eased immensely, but Raphael… The screams kept everyone up until Raphael was too hoarse to scream anymore… then the silence was worse.

Donnie checks his needles, Silvermoon had brought him all the medical supplies he could want for this, so maybe this time won't be so bad. He slips the first needle into Leo's arm, finding an artery to pump blood into Yuki's vein in her arm. Then he sets up the exchange, Yuki's artery pumping into Leo's vein to balance the blood pressure and keep a flow going. He shakes his head at his brother's bravery, but then, Leo was out of it when they started this. He missed the tears on Raphael's cheeks, the pleading look in his eyes.

Donnie blinks a few times to get that image from his mind, and puts a hand on Leo's shoulder, "Are you ready?"

Leo swallows hard and gives a nod, knowing the faint pain of the needles is nothing to what will come next.

Donnie takes a slow breath, then opens the valves to begin the transfusions. He wasn't even sure it was possible last night, and barely hobbled together something that would work with Raphael. With the supplies Silvermoon brought, he had started the research on Yuki's blood and to his surprise; he found that the mutagen in their own blood changed to make it compatible with any other blood type. It had filtered the poison from Yuki's blood, but it took a lot to completely cure her. Well, they had three turtles, and now they had time. Raphael's recklessness bought her that when he refused to stop the transfusion despite the pain.

Leo groans in pain as the poison hits his system, feeling like a faint burning and spreading like wildfire as it reaches his chest. He clenches his jaw together, swearing not to scream. Hadn't Raphael cleaned out nearly half the poison in her body? Wouldn't this be easier to handle? A raging fire feels like it's going to burst from his chest, then it rises to his head and extends into his limbs. His hands clench on the blankets, shaking with the effort not to scream, but it's futile. Every moment feels like a burning eternity, and the scream rips from his throat.

Raphael rests in the hot bath, his head propped on the edge with a washcloth over his eyes. He couldn't bear this weight on his chest, feeling like the entire cavern collapsed on him. He cries under the guise of relaxing, but when the door opens and closes, he tries to calm down before taking the rag off his eyes. Seeing Splinter kneel down by his head causes a new wave of pain and anxiety to hit him, making his heart ache deeply, "Master… is she…?

Splinter rests a hand on his head gently, "She lives still. Leo is… helping her…"

Raph catches the wince in his father's eyes and he begins to climb from his bath, angry at himself now, "Damnit! Why didn't he tell me!? He doesn't have to, I'll take it again!"

The lightweight of Splinter's hand keeps him in the water, "You are not recovered from last time, Raphael. Leonardo made you a promise, that all of your brothers will work to keep her safe. Allow him to do as he promised." He squeezes Raphael's shoulder lightly, "Leonardo feels responsible for what happened to Yuki. If he had been conscious last night, he would have demanded to be first because he will not admit that Alyssa bested him with swords."

The faint sound of Leo's screams bleed through the doors and Splinter feels his own heart wrench at the sound. Raphael flinches at the remembered pain, the feeling of being roasted alive for the hours they let him stay with her, "Sensei… I don't know if I can do this… not if I lose her…"

Splinter eyes Raph curiously, "What do you mean, my son?"

Raphael takes a slow breath, the tears coming unbidden once more, "I don't know, father. I feel like nothing's important anymore like there's a hole in my chest that will never heal. I'm terrified! I was so scared when I thought I'd lose you, but this… this is worse. I barely know her, but she means so much to me."

Splinter runs his long fingers over Raphael's head, trying to soothe his son, "I believe that with time, she will recover. The poison is strong, but I know you and your brothers' desire to help her is stronger. Have faith in them. Support them through this difficult time, just as they are supporting you."

Raphael frowns deeply, remembering how Leo and Mikey both held his hands as the poison coursed through his body. He gets up slowly and dries off, careful of the new stitches on his thigh, "Thank you Sensei."

Splinter stands as well, glad to see the determination back in his eyes, "I will go to check on Mikey, he hasn't been back yet. Leo worries that Silvermoon may have eaten him."

Raphael gives a ghost of a smirk as he tugs on his loincloth, "Silvermoon is a dangerous woman, mysterious and strange…" The smirk grows slightly, "But my girlfriend can throw lightning bolts." He walks out, not even realizing what he said as he enters Splinters room. He kneels beside Leo and grabs his hand, squeezing it hard, "I'm sorry Leo."

Leo's throat is already sore, his screams gaining that rough quality, but his eyes offer up nothing but gratitude as he squeezes Raph's hand tightly. Raphael's heart breaks all over again at his brother's sacrifice, and it aches to see Yuki so sick. Donnie holds Leo's other hand, and even reaches out for Raph's, "She made it through the night. She'll make it and get better."

Raphael grabs Donnie's hand and squeezes it as well, realizing that he's had to bear through all of this without support, seeing his brothers hurt, hearing them scream… New respect grows for his brothers, and he's very glad to have them by his side.

Mikey had spent half the night with Silvermoon, taking the ropes from the dragonkin up into the tunnel and rigging up ways to climb out. Silvermoon had changed into a huge creamy white cobra and easily slithered up the tunnel, tying the ropes off on makeshift anchors, all the way to the top. Mikey had wanted to ask her questions, but she worked quickly and came back down for the council meeting, needing to appear as clueless as the rest. She had left him working in the tunnel, anchoring the ropes every twenty feet or so and left him to think, something he really hated.

Silvermoon had shown up after the fight. Sarrok had helped Donnie rig up some stuff, making what they didn't have, and Raphael's screams were probably heard throughout the halls. Mikey hammers another anchor in place and hooks the rope through it, shuddering as he remembers the screams… Silvermoon had taken one look at Yuki and what Donnie rigged up, and left. No one could stop her. She returned when they unhooked a barely conscious Raphael from the torture he endured, her arms filled with medical supplies. Donnie looked like a miracle had just happened, and chased them all out to work.

Mikey climbs up the rope, his arms burning from the strain but he's nearly at the top. A soft hiss makes him freeze, and he looks over his shoulder at the half human face of a cobra, "Silvermoon! Dude, don't sneak up on me like that!"

Silvermoon wedges her long tail in the tunnel, "Sorry Mikey. I came to check on your progress."

Mikey stares at her, surprised that she can even speak with a mouth like that, "No worries. Just been thinkin'. I mean, Sarrok said you were allies, but not really friends. So, why help us?"

Silvermoon's bright grey eyes watch him with unnerving intensity, "Sarrok is not our friend. He works with us, and we help him. Yuki is different. She is like a sister." The inner lid slides over her eyes, giving the impression that her eyes are closed, though she can see through the translucent lid, "I don't know how to explain it to you without going into my people's history, and that is something I won't do for an outsider."

Mikey wedges himself into the tunnel to rest, "Well, if Yuki's like your sister and Raph's my bro, that makes us practically family! You can tell me anything and I won't tell anyone else but my bros."

Silvermoon snickers softly, a breath of a hiss from her lips, "Amusing, and honest, but no. Just know that there is more to this world than mutants, dragons, and humans."

Mikey nods sagely, "No kidding. Elves and dwarves and all kinds of weird stuff living in the dark here. I'm gunna be checking under my bed for those squid faces for weeks!" He brings his hands up and mimics the tentacles with his fingers.

Silvermoon laughs softly at that and nods, "I can relate. The first time I saw them, I nearly killed them, thinking they were monsters."

Mikey looks her over, "Well, I'm a monster too. All my brothers are."

Silvermoon shrugs slightly, "As am I, but you and I are monsters known. The Illithid are monsters I had only heard about, ones that I am supposed to kill on sight. I am glad I refrained and became part of the council."

Mikey rests back on his shell slightly, "I've been wonderin' something. If you like Yuki and all, why did you oppose Raph being with her?"

She tilts her head to the side slightly, "Because I thought I knew what you were. I'm from the surface, I know about the experiments Sacks was doing, and I thought you were just that, experiments gone wrong. I had my own plan in place to keep Yuki safe, though she didn't know it. I admit, I had my own ends in mind, but your brother proved to be more honorable than I gave him credit for."

Mikey nods, "He's a jerk, but he's our jerk, and seriously, he was first to jump into helping Yuki." He gets a sly look in his eyes, "So what's between you and that Darkmaw guy?"

Silvermoon hisses softly, "Nothing you will know about. He is my student."

Mikey grins, "So, once this is all over, how about you and I go out for some pizza? I know this really sweet place."

She stares at him, not sure if she should laugh at his audacity, or hit him for his boldness. "I don't think so. Dates between assassins usually end with someone getting killed."

Mikey frowns at that, "Well… we don't really have to kill anyone. I mean, maybe slaughter the pizza, and drink the soda of our enemies."

Silvermoon laughs at that, "Cute, but no."

Mikey sighs, "Why not?"

She grins, showing a hint of her long fangs folded in her mouth, "Because I'm at least twice your age, and have no interest in dating a dragon."

He growls at that, "Man! But I'm a shadow ninja dragon! I totally kick ass!" He kicks at the tunnel, and suddenly the stone he's braced against crumbles away. Silvermoon's eyes widen as they both begin to slide down the long shaft, though she manages to catch herself on the rope. Mikey slides past her, grasping for a hold, but everything crumbles from under his hands. He yells as he slides down on his shell, his eyes closed tightly against the fact that he's gaining speed. He hits the bottom hard and it shoots him towards the wall, bouncing him off his shell and then he hits the opposite wall hard. He falls to the floor, dazed, hurting, bleeding from hundreds of little cuts, "ooooh now I know how Raph felt…"

Silvermoon slithers down and she settles by his side, looking him over carefully before moving him, "Well, that was exciting. Hold still, I really don't think your arm is supposed to bend that way."

Mikey freezes at those words and he looks down at his forearm. It bends at an angle in the middle of his arm, showing that yes, he broke it. Then the pain hits him and he cringes, "Damnit! Totally not my fuckin' day!"

Silvermoon shrugs, setting his arm easily, making him yell in pain, and wrapping it up tightly against his chest, "Oh, I don't know. I could've eaten you for hitting on me, like your brother Leonardo believes. Or you could've hit something vital with that fall and died on the way down. Personally, I think you lucked out for someone that pissed off the very Earth."

He glares at her, but his words are cut short as Splinter slides down the rope that stretches across the Pool, "What happened?"

Mikey cringes at the whip-like demand in his master's voice, and even Silvermoon slides back slightly. "Sorry sensei, I got mad and ended up falling down the hole… Broke my arm." He glances at Splinter who looks ready to kill someone.

As his explanation sinks in, Splinter calms and looks at the bandages, "Thank you for caring for my son, Silvermoon. I admit, I had feared you would harm him, as he can be reckless with others."

Silvermoon bows her head slightly, "He is a pleasure to speak with. Honesty such as his is a rare find. I will finish the last of the anchoring since he has found the most dramatic way to avoid the work."

Mikey stares at her, "Hey! That is not the most dramatic way I could've done it! You should totally see me on my board!"

Splinter sighs with relief and chuckles a little, watching the cobra slide back up the shaft, like a white shadow fading to darkness, "Michelangelo, you are very impulsive. We already have enough wounded."

Mikey chuckles faintly, "Ya, but not enough smiles." He winces as he gets up, looking after the nagah, "Even made her smile and laugh."

Splinter half smiles, wondering how his sons would get along without this little prankster among them. He looks back towards the ledge, his thoughts with Raphael and Leo, then his eyes drop to the pool… a pool of healing… His eyes widen in shock, having completely forgotten about the qualities of the water, "Michelangelo! Soak your arm in the water!"

Mikey stares at his master for a moment, then walks over to the edge of the water, immersing his arm in the water. He doesn't understand his master's request until the pain slowly ebbs. With a deep sigh, he slips fully into the waters and watches with awe as his cuts heal, and he can feel his arm mending, "Dude! The Pool of Healing!"

Splinter stares in awe, then leaps onto the rope, running across to the ledge and disappearing into the darkness.

Donatello isn't sure what he prefers, the screaming, or the silence. Seeing his brother in so much agony makes him want to flee the room, to hide until all this is over. It also makes him want to find a cure for the poison, so they never have to go through this again. So, he sits on a bench at a table, looking at the nature of the poison in Yuki's blood. It attacks her cells like an exotoxin, burning through them at an alarming rate. What keeps the turtles safe are the healing qualities of the mutagen move more swiftly than the destruction of the poison. At the rate they're going, it could take weeks for Yuki to be poison free, and by then, the turtles won't be in any shape to help with moving the Clan out.

Raphael's hand lands on his shoulder lightly, giving it a squeeze, "Have you slept yet?"

Donnie shakes his head, "Not yet. There's still too much to do, she's not out of the woods yet. I just can't figure out how to counter this without our blood."

Splinter slams the doors open, a wild look in his eyes as he glances over Leo, "There is another way! Quickly, come with me!"

Donnie barely registers Splinter's words before he begins to unhook Leo from Yuki. Raphael freezes, watching as Leo's pain filled eyes begin to relax, and Yuki's body tenses with renewed pain, "Wait! What if she dies?"

Splinter waves for Donnie to grab Yuki, "She won't. Bring Leonardo, quickly!"

Raphael scoops up his brother, "Careful with her wings, Donnie, don't step on them."

Donnie shifts his hold on her, carefully folding her wings against his arms and Splinter helps him drape her tail over her legs, then they both follow Splinter out into the hallway.

Splinter freezes as they're confronted by a small army of driders and drow, all prepared to assassinate the new emperor before he can wipe them out. They will not go quietly as he had hoped. Drek's glare holds a light of insanity when he sees Yuki still breathing, "The Empress is alive!" Venom drips from his voice, "We'll have to remedy that."

Raphael begins to lower Leo to the ground so he can fight, but Splinter waves him on, "Go to the Pool and submerge them both! I will hold these beings here."

Raph bows his head slightly, "I'll be back for you, Master. Donnie! Stay right on my shell!" He hefts Leo a bit higher, his shell more outwards now, and he begins to plow through the dark mass of creatures. He can hear Donnie right behind him, with Splinter following briefly. Once through the masses, Raph spares a glance back. Splinter stands alone in the large hallway, a small figure against insurmountable odds, his staff held at his side. Raphael shakes his head, he could almost pity the drow. He leads Donnie through the maze of halls to Yuki's own chambers, a single door is the only way to the pool within the palace. He bursts through the delicate silver etched door and leaps straight off the ledge.

Splinter stands proudly in the middle of the hallway, no longer the feeble rodent that leaned on his staff for support. The driders are the first to test him, three charging him while the rest climb up the walls to chase the turtles and their precious cargo. Splinter's staff spins too fast for the eye to follow as he knocks the first drider into the top few on the wall, causing them all to fall. He does the same on the other side, and with a roundhouse kick, he sends the third back into the drows.

Darkness falls on the hallway, similar to what Alyssa summoned in the suite, and now Splinter is prepared for it. He closes his eyes, beating back the driders around him before they can even recover from the darkness. The battered bodies fly from the darkness, hitting the walls and sinking to the floor. Drek screams in anger, foam flecking his lips. The drow and what's left of the driders charge into the darkness, and Splinter takes full advantage of it. He begins to strike at those too close together, forcing them to fight each other. Without a strong leader, they don't have a chance. The drow are warier of this tactic, and the driders soon leave the darkness, hissing with frustration as most bear wounds from their own kind.

He plays a dangerous game of cat and mouse as he adjusts for their new tactics. Driders climb onto the walls and ceiling, trying to sneak past in the darkness, but Splinter hears them easily and leaps up to knock them all down. He defends his line viciously from drow and drider alike, refusing to budge until the darkness vanishes. At his feet, his final opponent, Drek, lies unconscious, a large lump on his skull showing Splinter's accuracy.

Raphael yells as he launches off the ledge and falls into the deep, cool water, Donatello leaping in after him with a nervous curse. He feels the waters close in all around him, and the feeling of tranquility cuts through his anger and fear like a sword. Leo drifts from his relaxed arms, his pained groans fading to sighs.

Donnie lands with Yuki held tight to his chest, worried that the impact could hurt her further. He's surprised as the worry suddenly eases, and more so, his headache from all the screaming and lack of sleep. Slowly his aching muscles relax, letting Yuki drift from his careless arms.

Raph turns his attention from Leo to Yuki, reaching out his hand to grab hers so he can pull her close. The lines of pain on her face ease, and the black and sickly green hues fade from under her snow-white scales. He breathes a sigh of relief when her deep blue eyes flutter open, "mmm… Raphael?" Her brows furrow with confusion, seeing him blurred among nothing but rainbow lights, "Am I… dead?"

Raphael smirks softly and brushes his thumb along her cheek, making her eyes drift closed briefly, "No. You're alive and safe."

Donnie pulls his arm from the water, watching it flow over his scales with a fascination, "This is an amazing reaction! There must be a large amount of magnesium and lithium sodium in the water." He closes his eyes and drifts in the cool water, feeling peaceful and even rested, "We need a pool like this at the lair."

Raph grins at Donnie's reaction, yanking Yuki into his arms and hugging her tightly, "Make it, genius. I'm sure you can."

Yuki hugs him back, wrapping her wings around his shell, "I was so scared, Raphael… I truly thought I was going to die and all I could think of was never seeing you again."

His heart melts at her words and every moment of pain becomes worth it tenfold, "I won't let you go that easily." He kisses her forehead lightly, "I have to go. Master Splinter needs our help. Stay here and rest, you've been through a lot. Leo will stay and keep you safe."

Leo smirks, floating like a log on his back, "I'm not going anywhere, I need this."

Donnie chuckles, and swims to the edge with Raphael, both climbing out and climbing back up the rope to disappear into the hallways.

Mikey peeks out from the tunnel, his eyes curious until he spots Leo and Yuki, "DUDE! Isn't that the best surfin' ever?"

Leo grins and nods, resting as much as he can, "Yup, glad you didn't get eaten."

Donnie and Raph race through the hallways, hoping they're not too late to help their master. As they turn the last corner, they skid to a stop, eyes wide as they take in the scene. Splinter sits cross-legged on the floor by a large pile of bodies, drider, and drow alike. Whenever someone moves, he smacks them quite soundly. His dark eyes sparkle with amusement, "There you are! I hope perhaps you could fetch a guard to take away these trouble makers. I fear if I leave, they will scurry into the shadows like roaches."

The grin on Raph's face couldn't get any bigger. Donnie nods and heads back down the hall to find the elite guard, most having been reassigned to the hatchery in fear of retaliation.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

The Illithid take charge of the exiled races, with muttered promises that they would reach home safely. The elementals return to their deep homes, respectful of the mourning period. The Duergar offer each turtle jeweled gifts, in honor of their visit, before they leave for the deep forges of home. The nagah head up to the surface to prepare for the migration, setting up the subway stations that Donnie had marked out. All that was left was the moving, and that happened surprisingly fast with everyone working together. All the gems were taken as the Clan hoard, and many brought eggs of the brightly colored fish to hatch and keep in their new home. The hatchery is carefully moved; each egg cared for by the older hatchlings until they reach the most secure room for the new hatchery. Raphael lets Yuki and Sarrok work out the details of it all, coming to visit almost every night.

Now, Yuki stands on the high ledge that leads to the Pool of Visions, the same place Raphael got his first look at the city. He stands beside her, his arm around her shoulders. The city is quiet, empty, and no longer glows as brightly as it did before. Yuki sighs deeply, "This has been the only home I knew. My parents are here, and their parents. I feel like I'm abandoning all the work we put into this."

Raphael sweeps her up into his arms, "I see a Kingdom that needed to move and grow. The people are safe, the eggs will hatch without fear, and the assassinations will end. You will grow as a Clan and be where you can get the help you need."

Yuki hugs him close, "You're right. My people need me more than this empty place." She leans up and kisses him softly.

Raphael blushes lightly, but he kisses her back. If anyone told him that he'd fall for the queen of a lost kingdom, he'd probably have broken their arm. Now, he can't imagine life without her. He breaks the kiss gently and kisses her forehead, carrying her out of the cavern. As he walks through the tunnels to the Pool, he hears the deep rumble of the kingdom collapsing now that there was no magic to keep it alive. Yuki tenses in his arms, a sob escaping her, but he squeezes her tightly, "Shh, it's alright. Better than letting it fall into drow hands. The pool still exists, and we'll be visiting it frequently."

She nods, remaining silent. The tracks of thousands show the path to the surface, and Raph slides Yuki around so she can hold onto his shell while he climbs up the ropes, "I want to show you something before I take you to your new kingdom."

Yuki nods, "Of course. I trust you, Raphael."

He grins at that and takes her to the surface.

It's a two-hour drive from the city, but Raphael had planned this for a week. He takes Yuki up to the mountains, deep into the mountains where the snow still dusts the peaks. Donnie was the one that found this place on satellite, and Raphael couldn't think of a better place. He helps Yuki out of the van and together they stand on top of a mountain.

Yuki's eyes light up brightly as she takes everything in. She kicks at the snow lightly, "Is this… is it snow?" At Raphael's nod, she grins and picks some up in her hands, "Oh wow… it's cold but… it's beautiful."

Raphael chuckles and waves his hand to the sky, "There is so much more."

He watches as her eyes light up, taking in all the stars on the clear night, "Oh celestials…. There are millions of them."

He slides his hand into hers, "I want to bring you here often if your duties will allow."

She squeezes his hand, looking up at him with the brightest smile he's ever seen, "I would love that. It's beautiful up here."

He kisses her knuckles softly, then scoops her up in his arms, "I want to see my snow angel fly." She grins at that, and when he spins, he throws her into the air. Her wings snap open on the wind and she lets out a cry of sheer joy.

She pumps her wings to fly higher, the cold air sharp on her skin and she feels so alive. She turns onto her back when even the mountain is barely a speck to her sharp eyes, and she touches the light of the stars with a deep sigh, "Perfect." With her wings spread halfway, she falls back towards the earth, the lights of all the cities looking like stars themselves. She nears the mountain where Raphael waits and turns to glide back down, landing in his arms, "I never want to leave."

Raphael had seen her disappear among the stars, and his heart swells with pride for his beloved dragon. When he catches her, he hugs her close to warm her up, then carries her to the van and opens the back, "We don't have to be back until tomorrow night. This is just time for you and me." He lays her back among the thick blankets and pillows, stealing a deep kiss. Yuki blushes deeply, kissing him back with a hint of nervousness. Then Raphael breaks it and climbs in behind her, resting on his side. He tugs her back against his plastron and tosses a warm blanket over her, "Don't be nervous. Now that we're alone, I want to hear all about Yuki the hatchling. I want to take my time with you, do things right." He caresses his thumb along her cheek, her look of pure love making his heart melt.

"Well… I was perfect in every way, at least in the council. Outside of the council, I played a lot of games with my elite guards; they quickly became my aunts and uncles, like Sarrok and Cheriss…"

End


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